You don't always get what you want
by Mizu-Tenshi
Summary: Okay, so Ami didn't win Ray's heart, Minako didn't get to tell Kai everything she wanted to say and Tori and Sam didn't win their fights but hey, it could have been worse and you know what they say. You don't always get what you want
1. OC

Original characters  
Disclaimer: I don't own Beyblade but I do own my OC's 'coz I made them up myself. ^_^  
  
Mizu_Tenshi: Pairings will be decided by reviewers but if no one votes than the pairings will be   
Sam/Tori Minako/ Kai Ami/Ray/ Mariah triangle.  
  
The Terrabladers  
  
Name: Tori Strazzo  
Gender: Male  
Age: 19  
Description: Black and pulled into spikes and crimson eyes. He wears black jeans with a silver chain, a   
white vest and black fingerless gloves  
Bitbeast: Kether the stag   
Beyblade: Red and black  
Background: After he escaped from his family he changed his last name and learnt to beyblade and   
fight, his brother was caught by their grandfather when Tori was nine and he's never seen him since.  
  
Name: Minako Hoshino  
Gender: Female  
Age: 14  
Description: Fiery red hair and put into long plait, ice blue eyes and she prefers wearing a black pleated   
skirt and a red T-shirt, a thick black bangle on her right wrist and a brown ribbon on her left arm.  
Bitbeast: Usagi a rabbit  
Beyblade: white and black  
Background: She like one of those giggly school girls but a LOT less annoying and she falls in and out   
of love easily. She fought Tori for a place in the Terrabladers and drew so she's pretty good.   
  
Name: Samantha Wilkinson  
Gender: Female  
Age: 15  
Description: Brown hair and pulled into a short, messy ponytail with red highlights. Hazel eyes, wears   
blue jeans and a crop top with the word 'Angel' across, black fingerless gloves.  
Bitbeast: Binah a puma  
Beyblade: Blue and red  
Background: She is one of Tori's childhood friends and has always stuck by him ever since he escaped.   
She can be a bit of a bully sometimes but her heart is in the right place  
  
Name: Ami Kagami  
Gender: Female  
Age: 14   
Description: Blonde and let down to her shoulders, green eyes and a white dress, plain and simple.  
Bitbeast: Ara the python  
Beyblade: Purple and silver  
Background: She had unusual connection with her bitbeast. She never wanted to join the Terrabladers   
but she was forced to after she lost to Sam. She is really shy and doesn't like fighting but she has a lot   
of pride and doesn't like asking for help. 


	2. Past

Disclaimer: I don't own Beyblade  
  
Mizu_Tenshi: I've seen a lot of fics where Kai has a little sister so I thought I'd write a fic where he has   
a big brother instead. This is my first *serious* fic so I might suck at it, kind of slow moving but it'll   
pick up, I know it says Romance/action/adventure but there'll be a bit of angst as well but only a little.   
  
"…" Speech   
*…* Implied words  
'…' Thoughts  
  
' I dreamed of that day we'd meet again, we were all so happy but then I was woken by a rude reality.'  
  
********  
Chapter 1: Past  
  
***Kai's POV***  
  
I hardly remember my brother, I lost most of my memory to Black Dranzer but I've been gradually   
recovering some of my memory. Everything seems blurry, all I can remember is that black hair, his   
voice and those crimson eyes just like mine. I don't know why I'm thinking about it now; I should be   
concentrating on the English tournament. Maybe it's some kind of sign…nah, that's stupid.  
  
***General POV***   
  
Tori sat on the bed in one of the BBA hotels in England, there was a tournament going on and he was   
waiting for one of his team members to come back with data on other teams.  
Suddenly the door burst open and a blonde haired fourteen-year-old came running in.  
  
"What is it, Ami?" Tori asked.  
  
"Tori! You're not…gonna…believe… this!" Ami panted, she shoved a laptop in front of Tori's face.  
  
He scanned it down, there were the names of every blader competing and their power defence and   
speed. Tori looked at the list, his eyes widened as they stopped at one name - Kai Hiwatari  
  
"Could it be him?" Tori wondered.  
  
"If it is then it's gonna be so…so wow!" Ami was literally jumping up and down on the bed. "I've   
never seen your brother, what's he like?"  
  
"I don't know. It's been ten years…" Tori whispered.  
  
***Flashback***  
  
A small boy about five years old sat huddled on a bench in the park, there was another boy about four   
years older than the other standing next to him.   
  
"Tomorrow we leave for Russia," the five-year-old boy whispered to his brother. He had crimson eyes   
and slate blue hair, he was wearing jeans and a baggy white T-shirt, his brother had similar eyes but he   
had black hair and wore a red vest and black jeans.   
  
"It'll be okay, Kai," his brother reassured him. "We'll be going there together."  
  
"It's not that, Tori," Kai moaned, "I just don't like our grandfather…he's…he scares me."  
  
"Don't worry, I won't let anyone hurt my little brother," Tori smiled heroically, Kai just stuck his   
tongue out.  
  
"Hey, guys!" They both turned to see a girl running towards them, waving cheerfully.  
  
"We heard what was going on, is it true you're leaving for Russia?" the girl asked. She was older than   
Kai with brown hair tied into a messy ponytail; her brown eyes were sparkling in the sunlight.  
  
"It's true, Sam," Tori sighed. "But I don't really want to leave mum alone, not after dad died."  
  
"But you will be learning to Beyblade properly," Sam argued. "Wouldn't it be so cool of we could   
form our own team?"  
  
"Why don't we?" Kai asked. Everyone turned to look at him. "Why don't we?" he repeated, "we could   
form our own group and then we wouldn't have to go to Russia."  
  
"That's stupid!" Sam laughed.  
  
"Well, if we wake up late at night we could climb out of the window, down the tree and go to   
wherever," Kai said hopefully.  
  
"You have one wild imagination!" Tori laughed. "It's not that simple!"  
  
Sam sighed and rolled her eyes put nodded. "This *is* stupid but fine, if you think you can get up in   
time then I'll meet you at midnight," she arranged.  
  
"What!" Tori yelled. "But Sam think of all the things that could go wrong! They're bound to find us   
and you'll get into trouble!"  
  
"I thought you didn't want to go with your grandfather," Sam gave him a side ways glance.  
  
"I don't but still…"  
  
"Aw, come on, we could at least try it!" Kai pleaded.  
  
"Yeah, listen to the squirt!" Sam smirked. "It's important to stay optimistic even if this does have a   
million to one chance of working."  
  
Then we'll meet you at midnight!" Kai grinned.  
  
"Okay, Kai, I think you've spent too much time in the sun!" Tori grabbed Kai by the collar and   
dragged him back home.  
  
~ Midnight ~   
  
Tori rolled over and groaned there was the sound of something banging on the door, he groaned and   
put pillow on his head to block out the noise. Suddenly, he bolted out of bed as the door was opened   
and those familiar heavy footsteps entered.  
  
"No! Why did he have to come so early?" Tori moaned as he pulled on what he was wearing earlier.   
He checked his watch; it was five to midnight. "I hope Sam didn't forget!" He sneaked silently into   
Kai's room and shook him awake.  
  
"What?" Kai asked.  
  
"Grandfather's here."  
  
Kai was up in a flash, pulling on what he wore before he thrust open the window and signalled to Tori   
to climb out as those heavy footsteps climbing the stairs.   
  
"What the?" Voltaire thundered. Kai already had a foot out of the window and Tori was already on the   
ground. Voltaire rushed over to the window and grabbed Kai before he could leap out.  
  
"Kai!" Tori shouted as he watched Kai struggle, he was about to run when someone grabbed him and   
pulled him away.  
  
"Quiet, Tori, it's too late." Sam whispered. She had arrived on time.  
  
"I won't leave Kai with that maniac!" Tori struggled.  
  
"Tori," Sam pleaded. "I liked Kai as much as you do but it's too late, your grandpa has him and if we   
don't move he'll get you too."   
  
Sure enough, Voltaire had appeared round the side holding Kai by the wrist. Kai was squirming   
painfully. It took all of his strength not to break free of his cover. He nodded grimly and they sneaked   
away.  
  
"Kai…be okay the next time I see you," Tori prayed.  
  
***End Flashback***  
  
"Should I tell the others?" Ami asked.  
  
"What? Oh, I don't think so, it might not even be him, we'll meet at the tournament."  
  
~ On the coach ~   
  
"Yeah, it's been ages since I've been to London!" Tyson stretched his cramped muscles as the coach   
approached London.  
  
"Don't get too excited," Kai, who was sitting in front, said stoically. "There's a lot of new teams, that   
means new strategies, new blades, and new bitbeasts."  
  
"Okay, you've told me this a million times," Tyson sighed. "Look on the bright side, new teams mean   
new friends!"  
  
"I'll do a scan on all the new teams," Kenny offered.  
  
"As soon as we get to the hotel I want you all to train," Kai ordered.  
  
"Oh!" Tyson moaned  
  
"Cheer up, Tyson," Max smiled. "I'm sure there'll be lots of interesting people to fight!"  
  
"Says you," Tyson pouted. "Why do we have to train as soon as we get there?"  
  
"We have now arrived at our destination, please unload in an orderly fashion," the driver called.  
***********  
  
Mizu_Tenshi: Okay, this is boring and pretty far fetched but it gets better, it's just a little slow moving.   
I know it sounds kinda corny (A.N. Does anyone even use that word anymore?) but it should get better   
hopefully so R&R NOW! Please? 


	3. Unwanted help

Disclaimer: I don't own Beyblade.  
  
Mizu_Tenshi: It will get better, promise!   
  
"…" Speech  
'…' Thoughts  
*…* Implied words  
  
'I want to be the kind of idiot you are; only idiots think there's good in everything. I want to be the kind   
of idiot you are, I want to believe everyone's a star.'  
******  
  
Chapter 2: Unwanted help  
  
"Wow, this is the training ground? It's huge!" Tyson cried.   
  
The Bladebreakers were looking at the training ground outside the hotel, there were a lot of new teams   
competing in friendly battles.   
  
"Hey cool! I'm gonna check out some of the battles!" Tyson said before running off.  
  
"Hey, Tyson!" Kenny called after the navy haired teen. "We're supposed to be training remember?"  
  
"Aw, lighten up chief! There'll be plenty of time to train!" Max grinned and ran after Tyson.   
  
Ray laughed and then turned to Kai; his expression was indifferent as always. "Don't worry, I'll find   
them and drag them back," Ray reassured the glaring phoenix.  
  
(Kai's POV)  
  
Everyone's starting to run off, I don't think Ray will be back for a while so I guess I better take a look at   
some of the battles, maybe I can get some information on some of the bitbeasts, at least one of us will   
be doing something useful then.  
  
"I win again!" I hear someone shout, I mean, a lot of people are shouting but that voice sounded so   
familiar. I turn to face the direction of the voice, the battle's already finished and it looks like the boy   
with black hair won.   
  
'He looks familiar,' I think as I stare at him. I think that he noticed me staring at him 'cos he turned   
round and stared back. I was a little shocked to see that his eyes were the colour of blood but I just   
shrug it off and turn round to walk away when I heard that familiar voice again.  
  
"Kai!" I spin around, how did he know my name? He's walking towards me now, I tense my self and   
get ready for whatever he's planning, he's a lot older but I could probably take him.  
  
"Kai, I can't believe it, it's been ten years!" He smiles. Ten years? Ten years since what? Do I know   
him? He does seem familiar but still…  
  
"Are you okay?" I think he noticed my uncertainty because he's looking really concerned. I shake my   
head. The baka's probably got me mixed up with someone else, honestly, what kind of moron can't tell   
one person from another?  
  
"I think you've made a mistake," I tell him. "I don't know who you are."  
  
"It's me, Tori!"   
  
'Tori?' that name sounds so familiar but that doesn't mean I know him even if he looks and sounds   
familiar. Hell, forget this, I'm going, it's not my fault the idiot's got me mixed up. I turn and walk away.  
  
"Kai!" I hear him call I wish he would stop it does he know how annoying his voice is? "Kai, come on,   
I know it's been a long time but you're still my brother!"   
  
I stop but this time I don't turn around, did he just call me what I think he did? That's just freaky. It's   
possible he could be my brother, it would explain those visions I've been having one part of my brain   
tells me but I shake it off.   
  
"I've told you you've made a mistake," I answer stoically. "I don't have a brother…sorry." I walk away   
and this time I don't stop no matter what kind of crazy things he yells out. Is everyone here going to go   
crazy on me?  
  
(General POV)  
  
Ray wondered around the inside of the hotel looking for the others but even if he found them he   
doubted Kai would still be waiting. He sighed inwardly 'well, I might as well have some fun' he told   
himself.  
  
As he rounded the corner something bumped into him and made stumble backward but he didn't fall.   
There was some groaning as Ray looked at what he had collided with. It was a girl dressed simply in a   
white dress and was rubbing her back painfully, her laptop lay on the floor besides her. She winced and   
opened one bright green eye at Ray.  
  
"Sorry," Ray apologised and offered her his hand, she took it gratefully and he pulled her up.  
  
"It's my fault," the girl picked up her laptop, "I was in a rush and I wasn't looking where I was going."  
  
"It's okay, I'm Ray from the Bladebreakers," Ray introduced and held up a hand.  
  
"Ami, Ami Kagami from the Terrabladers," Ami said and shook Ray's hand, blushing slightly.   
  
"I've never heard of the Terrabladers, are you a new team?" Ray asked.  
  
"Kind of," Ami replied. 'Now what was I rushing around for?' she thought. 'Dammit I've forgotten, I'm   
sure it was something important! How could I forget? I always remember everything.'  
  
"Well, you must be busy, I'll see you at the tournament," she heard Ray say goodbye.  
  
"No, wait!" Ami cried, blushing furiously. "This sounds really embarrassing so don't laugh, okay? I've   
forgotten what I was rushing around for…so perhaps I could hang around with you 'til I remember."   
Ray smiled and nodded. 'Oh great going!" she told herself sarcastically. 'The first person you've met   
here and you've already made a fool of yourself.'  
  
"So where are you from?" It took a while before Ami realised the question.  
  
"Japan," she answered. 'Am I loosing brain cells? Why is it so hard for me to think?'  
  
"Hey, how about a battle?" Ray suggested. "Just a friendly one and I could use a warm-up."  
  
"B…battle?" Ami swallowed. "I don't like beyblading."  
  
"But if you don't like blading then why are you on a beyblade team?" Ray blinked.  
  
Ami blushed. "I just don't okay?" she yelled and turned to walk away when Ray grabbed her by the   
wrist, she felt a tingle go up her spine but lasted for just a second.  
  
"Sorry, I didn't mean to upset you, you don't have to battle."  
  
"Sorry, I went a little hysterical. I think I remember what I have to do now, I hope I'll see you again   
sometime *before* the tournament," Ami smiled to show him that she was okay.  
  
"How about tomorrow right here?" Ray called after her.   
  
"Fine!" Ami called back. As she rounded the corner she let a grin spread across her face. 'What am I so   
happy about' she wondered. 'You made a friend whoop de do,' her brain said sarcastically but another   
part of her told her something very different.  
  
(Kai's POV)  
  
I wondered around the streets of London alone, I don't really have anywhere I want to go. I couldn't get   
what that guy, Tori, had said to me, I mean, how often do you have a complete stranger tell you you're   
their brother? It all seems so crazy to me.   
  
I turn into a long and deserted alleyway, and that's when I sense something. I feel someone's eyes   
watching me, I just walk on and try to make it seem like I haven't noticed them to lure them out. It   
works. I can hear them dropping from rooftops, gullible idiots. I spin round and tackle one of them, I   
think I surprised him because he went straight to the ground. There are five of them; all heavily built   
and dressed like robbers in black.   
  
"If you come with us quietly kid I'll make sure you don't get hurt too badly," I hear one of them hiss.   
Kid? Who the hell's he calling kid? I charge and my fist connects with his jaw, I think I broke it 'cos I   
heard a crack. The others were on me, I felt one of them hit me in my stomach and I fell to the floor   
with the wind knocked out of me. I feel someone grab me; no way can I fight five fully-grown men at   
once.  
  
"Get the hell off of me!" I growl and fight dirty. Yes, I know it's dishonourable but honour was the last   
thing on my mind. I kick, scratch and bite my way out of the tangle of arms and grab a dustbin lid.   
'Good' I think to myself, at least I'm armed.   
  
One of them comes rushing at me and throws a punch, I dodge him and hit him hard with the metal lid   
and he falls unconscious. Another one tries to punch me and I lift the lid as a shield, I'm sure it sprained   
his wrist but the vibration went through the lid and into my arm and I drop the lid. That's when they   
began to attack. I felt a fist connect with my left cheek and another fist hit me in the ribs, I heard a   
crack and I fell. Shit! That hurt! I think some of my ribs had cracked and I know a bruise had formed   
on my face from where I had been hit.  
  
"Had enough?" One of them asks. I rise a little shakily only to be punched to the ground again. "Give it   
up kid, it'll be easier for all of us." I rise and lunge for him before I can get hit back down. Shit, my ribs   
are killing me! I think as I throw a punch at the man. I continue to pummel his face until the other men   
drag me off him.   
  
I'm surrounded now. I can't run anywhere. Well if they're gonna drag me to my grandfather I can at   
least go down with dignity, I won't let my grandfather have the satisfaction of seeing me brought   
kicking and screaming in front of him. Reluctantly I raise my hands, I can see the four remaining   
conscious men smile triumphantly, I don't care; at least I managed to crack a few or their bones.   
  
"Had enough?" Their leader grins like a fool, he takes a few steps when suddenly I see something   
flying at him. I blink to make sure I'm seeing right, it's Tori! I just watch as he attacks the men, he's   
doing pretty well although I can see that he tends to leave his legs in a vulnerable position when he's   
not kicking. He grabs my arm and pulls me along, and we both run from the men.   
  
"I think we lost them!" He gasps. Why did he come to help? He's not gaining anything by helping me;   
does he know he's not getting a reward? My thoughts are broken as I feel him touch my arm; I leap   
away and growl menacingly at him.  
  
"Let me see!" he demands, yeah like he can boss me around. "You're hurt, let me take you back to the   
hotel and I'll patch you up." I just snarl at him, I don't want his pity.  
  
"I'm fine," I tell him. "I don't want your pity!"  
  
"Pity!" he gasps, I wish he would stop talking and just go away. "I'm not pitying you, Kai, I'm trying to   
help you!"  
  
"Well you can take all your help and shove it where the sun don't shine!" I glare at him. What makes   
him think I need help? I'm not weak! "I don't want your worthless help!" I turn round so he can't see me   
wince from the pain in my ribs, I can overcome any kind of pain, that's the art of growing strong!   
  
*********  
  
Mizu_Tenshi: I know Tori and Ami sound like Mary Sue's (Can you get male Mary Sue's?) don't   
worry, none of my OC's will be a Mary Sue. Please tell me if I suck, this is my first serious fic. 


	4. Meet Minako

Mizu_Tenshi: Does this story suck? Why don't I have a lot of reviews? And the writing before the   
chapters…well I'm studying poetry in my school so these are just bits from my poems. I wrote up a   
poem 'cos I couldn't find a song to fit with this fic.  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own Beyblade but the song is mine so you can't sue me!  
  
'Let her greet you with the rising sun, let her sing to you when the day is done. Let her kiss all your   
tears, let her blow away your fears'  
  
*****  
Chapter 4: Meet Minako  
  
Kai wondered around the hotel, he was wearing the BBA coat not because he was cold but so he could   
cover up his bandaged and bruised arms. He hoped he wouldn't run into one of his teammates, the last   
thing he needed was one of them to start asking him a load of stupid questions.   
  
"Kai…" Kai raised his head at the sound of his name being called. Ray was standing right in front of   
him with a concerned look on his face. He mentally cursed himself for not being aware of the boy's   
presence earlier, now he would be forced to answer all his annoying questions.   
  
"What do you want Ray?" Kai gave the boy his most threatening glare in hopes of scaring him off but   
the Chinese boy stood his ground.  
  
"Are you okay? How did you do that?"  
  
"I just tripped when I was practicing," Kai said and tried to pass but ray blocked his way.  
  
"Oh, you just happened to trip for no reason?"  
  
Kai mentally swore again, he should have come up with a more believable excuse. Tyson and Max   
would have fallen for it but Ray knew him better than that, he knew he wasn't clumsy enough to just   
trip.  
  
"You didn't get into a fight did you?" Ray asked seriously.  
  
"What is this, the Spanish inquisition?" Kai glared. "Don't you have somewhere else to be right now?"  
  
"Oh, Ami!" Ray gasped and sped off.  
  
'Ami?' Kai wondered. Probably some girl he had met.  
  
(Ray's POV)  
  
I ran as fast as I could, I couldn't believe that I forgot about our meeting! As I reach our meeting place I   
smile slightly, she's still there!   
  
"Sorry I'm late" I apologize.  
  
"It's okay," she smiles, I'm glad she isn't mad at me.   
  
"So, what do you want to do?" I ask her.  
  
"Um…" She blushes, what does she want to say?   
  
"Spit it out," I smile.  
  
"It's stupid," she shakes her head.  
  
"It can't be as stupid as some of the things Tyson wants to do," I laugh slightly remembering the time   
Tyson spent all day trying to slice up meat with his beyblade.   
  
"Um…well in that case do you want to go dance?"  
  
I can't help but look shocked, dance? I haven't dance in ages but I agree anyway. (A.N. It's in Ray's   
POV but the song is from Ami's perspective.)  
  
~ On the dance floor ~  
  
//I've never fallen in love before  
And I don't think that there's a cure  
What am I supposed to say?   
To make this love go away//  
  
There's a lot of people dancing here, does this hotel have everything? 'Fate plays with people's hearts' is   
playing, Ami grabs my hand and pulls me onto the dance floor, I'm a bit surprised but we dance   
anyway.  
  
Wow, I didn't know she could dance so well. She looks up at me and for a minute I stare into her green   
eyes but then she blushes and averts her gaze.  
  
"It's really nice isn't it?" She asks. I'm not sure if she's talking about the song or the dance so I just nod.  
  
//That meeting was so unreal  
I just wanna tell you how I feel  
But I just blush and look away  
'Cos I can't find the words I wanna say//  
"You're a Bladebreaker, right?" Ami asks. I nod. "That means you know Tori's brother, Kai, right?"  
  
I think my jaw dropped but I quickly close it. Kai never told me he had a brother…but then again he   
never says anything about his past. All he ever told me was about his grandfather and even then it   
wasn't much.  
  
"Err…I don't know, Kai never said anything about his past."  
  
"Tori's my team captain, he wouldn't tell me much about Kai either but he said their meeting was very   
eventful, that's his way of saying a lot happened but nothing went right." I listen intently as Ami talks, I   
guess it's not that shocking that Kai's got a brother.  
  
"I can't believe he would remember, especially after he lost most of his memory to Black Dranzer," I   
mutter.  
  
"What!" Ami asks.  
  
Oh God, did I say that out loud? Kai would kill me if he had heard that. I shake my head and try to   
persuade her to continue dancing but before I can I feel someone tap me on the shoulder. I turn around   
and a grin instantly appears on my face.  
  
//And then for a second we slowly parted  
And now I'm back to where I started  
Do you love her or do you love me?  
Don't try to be kind just tell me honestly//  
  
"Mariah!" I cry happily. "Ami, this is Mariah, she's one of my old teammates, Mariah this is Ami."   
  
"It's a pleasure," Mariah smiles; I'm glad she's making friends. "Hey, Ray, how come you never dance   
with me?" Mariah pouts playfully; she's so cute when she does that! Wait…did I just think that?  
  
"Well in that case would you care for a dance?" I bow and kiss her hand playfully hearing her giggle   
and blush; I'm about to continue when I spy Ami out of the corner of my eye looking slightly lonely.   
"You don't mind, do you? I'm sure there's a lot of guys out there who've been dying to get a chance to   
dance with you."   
  
"No, I better get back," Ami shakes her head. "Thank you for the dance, it's been a real pleasure, you   
too Mariah." With that she walks away, I'm not sure if I should go after her but I decide against it.  
  
//I walk away from your smiles  
'Cos that smile is for her you see  
But I would walk a thousand miles  
If you smiled just for me//  
  
"Ray?" I turn to face Mariah as she whispers my name. "I'm just curious, she's just a friend, right?"   
  
"Yeah," I nod and then smile. "So are we gonna dance or what?"  
  
//That meeting was so unreal  
I just wanna tell you how I feel  
But I just blush and look away  
'Cos I can't find the words I wanna say//  
  
(General POV)  
  
Kai walked around surveying the different battles, most are pretty boring and not very professional but   
one battle caught his attention and he couldn't help but watch. The battle was between a redheaded girl   
and a boy with blond hair.   
  
"Okay, Vulpecula, attack with cunning force!" the boy screamed and a fox bitbeast emerged from his   
blade and attacked the opponent. The girl's blade began to wobble a little.  
  
"Meanie!" She cried.   
  
'Is she four or fourteen?' Kai wondered as the girl began to wail.   
  
"Usagi, teach that bully! Dizzy punch!" Her rabbit bitbeast emerged from her blade and attacked. The   
rabbit threw the fox out of the dish and the boy's blade just wobbles to a stop.   
  
"I was winning!" the boy moaned.  
  
"The battle isn't over until it's over," the girl smirked. "While a battle is going anything can happen."   
She turned to stare straight at Kai. "What are you staring at? Are you impressed with my awesome   
bitbeast?"  
  
"Not really," he answered with a hint of boredom in his voice.  
  
"What happened there?" she pointed to the bruise on Kai's face. "Did you get beaten by a wittle kid?"  
  
"That's none of your business!" Kai snapped.  
  
"Then why don't you battle me?" she challenged.   
  
"I've got better things to do."  
  
"I think you're just scared! You should be since you're fighting Minako of the TerraBladers! I'm a   
TerraBlader because I use earth elemental attacks, I can rip the floor from under your precious blade!"  
  
Kai smirked slightly, what an amateur! She just gave away information on the kind of attack that her   
team uses. Kai nodded, it would be fun to kick her ass!  
  
"Good!" She raised her launcher. "3…2…1…Let it rip!" She pulled the ripcord and her blade went   
flying into the dish. Both blades clashed and sparks began to fly from the two blades.  
  
"Usagi! Earth rain!" Minako screamed and the rabbit emerged from the blade, rocks suddenly appeared   
and flew towards Dranzer.  
  
"Dodge it!" Kai yelled. The blade jumped and wobbled slightly in an effort to dodge the flying chunks   
of earth.  
  
"We've got him on the run! Earth rain!"  
  
"Dranzer, incinerate those rocks, spin fire!" The phoenix rose in a red flash of light and attacked; the   
boulders coming at it were burnt to a crisp. "Good, now attack!" Dranzer screeched its victory song and   
attacked the white and black blade knocking it out of the dish.   
  
"Wow!" Minako cried, picking up her beyblade. "Your bitbeast is so pretty! That was so cool, can you   
teach me how to get so strong?"  
  
"I don't have time for amateurs like you," Kai glared. "I was only battling you because Dranzer was   
hungry for a battle."  
  
"You mean you can sense what your bitbeast wants?" Minako looked starry eyed. "I thought a bitbeast   
was just for fighting."  
  
"That's a popular misconception." Kai answered why was he bothering to talk to her? "When you've   
been blading for a long time your bitbeast becomes more than just an easy method of winning."  
  
"I see," Minako said thoughtfully. This guy was smart and strong not to mention cute too (A.N. Sorry,   
couldn't resist.) he seemed to have been blading for quite a long time too.  
  
~ Terrabladers hotel room ~  
  
(Ami's POV)  
  
Mariah…I've been repeating that name over and over, why do I care? It's not like there's anything   
between them and me for that matter. I sigh, what's wrong with me? Suddenly the door opens and Tori   
walks in. Tori! Should I tell him what I heard off Ray? I completely forgot! Well he is Kai's brother so   
I guess he deserves to know.   
  
"Tori?" I ask meekly. I used to be really scared of Tori when I first met him, I still am a little frightened   
but he did help me out a lot and he was nicer than Sam was. I began to tell him everything I had heard,   
at the end he looked ready to kill someone, I quickly excused myself before anything could happen. As   
I left the room I heard nothing but I knew that he would go after Voltaire for more answers.  
  
*******   
Mizu_Tenshi: What can I say except I WANT MORE REVIEWS! Well to all those very kind people   
who did review here are my replies.  
  
heather - I guess they do act alike, don't they? Thank you, you're my fist reviewer.   
  
unowolf - I know, it was so mean! Meanie! Well at least you gave me a review and I'm glad you liked   
my story.  
  
Angelfire - ^_^ Yeah, I've seen a lot of fics where Kai has a younger sibling so I thought I'd change   
that. Those lines are from my poetry I'm doing at school.  
  
Galux Kitty - Ray and Mariah? Well it looks like it'll go that way but it all depends on the reviews I   
get.  
  
Sphinxqueen127 - Good? Please review again, I have so little reviews it's not funny anymore. ;_; If I   
don't get any more reviews I'm gonna just delete this whole story. 


	5. Blue triangles

Mizu_Tenshi: I'm not going to quit thanks to the reviews I got, I still want people to R&R please. Oh,   
and please vote on whom you think Ray should be with, Ami or Mariah? So far it Mariah is winning   
two to one. Very close.  
  
"…" Speech  
'…' Thought  
*…* Implied words  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own Beyblade.   
  
'He sits alone in the cold watching others walk by, he sits alone in the cold and there he silently cries.'  
  
********  
Chapter 4: Blue triangles   
  
Tori made his way into Biovolt as some far away clock struck eight o'clock. He knew there was a   
Biovolt branch somewhere in London it hadn't been hard to miss since Biovolt was so huge.  
  
He crept in stealthily, he knew it was crazy but he wanted answers and he wanted to talk to the insane   
bastard he had once called grandfather.   
  
He looked around and sighed. He really should have thought more about this before he had gone   
charging into Biovolt, he was hopelessly lost inside the labyrinth of passages and doors.  
  
"Long time no see, Tori."  
  
Tori spun around, his eyes went wide. Voltaire was standing in front of him with five guards. A growl   
escaped Tori's throat, he was supposed to be the one to find Voltaire not the other way round.  
  
"You!" Tori glared and readied his launcher.   
  
"Come on, Tori!" Voltaire grinned evilly. "Not everyone gets the honour of meeting me personally, I   
usually let the guards deal with them. You tripped the silent alarms when you entered the grounds,   
Biovolt security is impeccable."  
  
"Unlike your men, Biovolt elite is nothing but a load of idiotic giants who couldn't beat up a fine year   
old, they were no problem to deal with."  
  
"Now, no one likes a bragger," Voltaire glared. "I should kill you here and now but you are my   
grandson so I have something more…humiliating for you."  
  
"Yeah, like hell!" Tori yelled and pulled his ripcord. His beyblade flew at Voltaire, slicing his cheek   
Voltaire growled and made a swing at Tori; Tori dodged and as his beyblade returned to his hand.  
  
"Guards!" Voltaire yelled. The guards rushed past Voltaire and grabbed Tori by the arms.   
  
"Get off!" Tori struggled with the strong men.  
  
"What's the matter, Tori?" Voltaire grinned. "Not so strong now, are you? Well, I won't kill you…at   
least not now, I have something in mind for you, something much more humiliating!"  
  
The guards dragged the struggling Tori into a large, dank room. There was nothing in it except a chair   
desk with lots of needles on it. (A.N. This won't be exact but it's the best I can do.) Voltaire entered   
after him; the guards flung him onto the chair and strapped him down.   
  
"Scared yet?" Voltaire sneered. "Unfortunately for you I'm feeling bored, I don't usually waste my time   
with things like this but for you I'll make and exception." Voltaire punched Tori in the jaw and blood   
trickled down. He continued to punch him in the chest and stomach until Tori passed out.   
  
~ Hotel room ~  
  
Ami was lying on her bed next to Minako. (A.N. They weren't sharing bed I meant that their beds were   
side by side.) Ami let out a depressed sigh but if Minako had heard she probably hadn't noticed how   
upset Ami was.  
  
'She's been in a dream world ever since she got back from practising a few hours ago,' Ami said to   
herself. 'What could she possibly be thinking about?' Ami sighed, she couldn't stay mad at Ray or   
Mariah, how were they supposed to know how she felt? 'Love's stupid,' she told herself in an attempt to   
make her feel better. 'It's was just some silly crush, you should be glad Mariah was there to stop you   
from saying anything stupid to Ray…then why do I feel this way?'  
  
Suddenly the door opened and in walked fifteen-year-old girl with brown hair and matching eyes.  
  
"Where's Tori?" the girl asked.  
  
"I…I don't know, Sam," Ami stuttered at the sudden break in her line of thought. She could still   
remember the first time she had met Sam; she had seemed mean at first.  
  
***Flashback***  
  
There was an old alleyway behind one of the large theatres in London, it was your typical alleyway full   
of garbage and trash cans and fenced with wooden walls. A younger version of Ami walked alone   
through the short alleyway when she heard a scrapping noise; she spun round as another girl came   
rushing into the alleyway.   
  
"Hey, where do you think you're going?" A fifteen-year-old version of Sam asked. Her brown hair was   
much shorter and she looked a lot rougher.  
  
"I'm on my way to the train station," Ami replied.  
  
"This alleyway belong to the Terrabladers, you can't cross it."  
  
"It's just a short alleyway, it'll take me less than a minuet to pass through," Ami tried to reason with the   
tough street kid.  
  
"Rules are rules," Sam folded her arms stubbornly.  
  
"Fine, I'll go the long way round," Ami sighed and tried to go back but Sam blocked her path.  
  
"You've already stepped onto Terrablader territory, and as a Terrablader it's my job to fight you!"   
  
"That's crazy!" Ami cried and stepped back a few paces. "I don't wanna fight you I just want to get to   
the train station!"  
  
"Well you're gonna have to blade if you don't want it destroyed." Sam challenged. "C'mon, or are you   
too scared to fight me?"  
  
Ami gritted her teeth together; she hated being called chicken or weak, she was always the peaceable   
type but that didn't mean she couldn't fight.   
  
"Fine!" She shouted and attached her purple and silver blade to her launcher and Sam did the same.  
  
"3…2…1…Let it rip!" Sam yelled at the top of her lungs, the two blades clashed throughout the   
alleyway knocking over garbage cans and slicing through bags of rubbish.   
  
"Ara, attack with boulder ball!" Ami commanded. A purple python rose from her blade and curled into   
a ball.  
  
"Binah, dodge it!" Sam cried, her blade tilted to one side and avoided the attack. "Okay, now attack!   
Whip lash!" The red puma emerged from its blade; its tail turned into a long whip and it stuck the   
snake with its tail.  
  
"Burrow, Ara!" Ami yelled. The snake obeyed its master and drilled a hole into the ground and   
disappeared.   
  
"That's impossible!" Sam gasped. "How can it travel through concrete?" Sam was really confused, even   
her bitbeast was looking a little unsteady.   
  
"We've got 'em!" Ami grinned. "Attack!" The snake rose from right under Sam's blade.   
  
"Nice move but by burrowing you've left your own blade completely exposed. Binah! Use rock claw!"   
The puma's claw seemed to harden as it attacked Ami's blade. It was hard to say which attack hit which   
blade first. There was a flash of purple as Ara hit Sam's blade but also a flash of red as Binah hit Ami's   
blade. As the smoke and dust cleared they knew who had won.  
  
Ami's blade had stopped while Sam's blue and red blade was wobbling dangerously.   
  
"That…that was a close one!" Sam said with shock in her voice. "I hate to admit it but you've got   
talent, the only person I've ever lost to is Tori, the Terrabladers leader."   
  
"You still won though," Ami replied modestly.   
  
"That means you'll have to turn back and go home…sorry," Sam added.  
  
Ami lowered her head so that her eyes were concealed by the shadows. "I…I haven't got a home…I'm   
an orphan."  
  
Sam blinked, an orphan? She could feel a pang of guilt wash over her. "If you have nowhere else to go   
then you could always join the Terrabladers," she offered, "you use earth elemental attacks, right?"  
  
"Thanks but no thanks," Ami shook her head. "I don't like fighting."  
  
"Hey, I insist that you stay here!" Sam stamped her foot. "As my prize for winning you must join the   
Terrabladers, besides, you have no where else to go, right?" Ami nodded and smiled.  
  
***End of flashback***  
  
"Great, just great," Sam flopped down on a bed next to Minako. "What's up with her?" Sam asked,   
seeing the far away look in Minako's eyes.  
  
Ami shrugged. "I don't know, she's been like that ever since she came in."  
  
"I don't care if he beat me…" Minako sighed dreamily.  
  
"Whoa! Did I just hear what I thought I heard!" Sam laughed. "Did I just hear Minako Hoshino say she   
didn't care if she got beaten? The same Minako who would hit anyone who beat her?"  
  
Minako sighed again, apparently unaware Sam and her remarks.  
  
"I'll go look for Tori," Ami offered. She needed to get some fresh air and she needed time alone to   
think.  
  
~ Biovolt ~  
  
Tori woke up drowsily, groaning in pain he opened his eyes and looked down. A strangled cry escaped   
his throat, his precious beyblade was lying on the ground battered and damaged.  
  
"That's not the worst of it," someone said from the shadows.  
  
"Who are you?" Tori yelled at the figure hidden by shadows.  
  
"Call me Boris," the figure smiled and emerged from the shadows. As he approached Tori tensed his   
muscles; Boris undid the restraints around Tori's arms. Tori jumped to his feet and tried to punch Boris   
but every time he did he felt a burning pain in his chest.  
  
"Do you want to know what we did to you?" Boris asked. Tori clutched his stomach in pain as he   
approached. "This!" Boris yelled and ripped Tori's shirt. There were four blue triangles on his   
stomach, each one pointed inwards.  
  
"What the hell?" Tori spat in disgust. What was the point of putting triangles there?  
  
"Do you want to know what those triangles mean? They're the symbol of Biovolt," Boris said without   
waiting for a reply from Tori. "You are now the marked property of Biovolt, we *own* you. That is the   
most humiliating part of it all! You have been marked, you're not human, you're property, just like   
Kai!"  
  
"You don't own me!" Tori yelled angrily, "what did you do to my brother?" He tried to attack but   
Boris dodged easily and continued talking.  
  
"I did nothing!"  
  
"Then why can't he remember me?" Tori clenched his teeth in anger; he had given up trying to hit   
Boris and was just glaring at him dangerously.  
  
"It's not my fault the little runt stole down to play with a beyblade too powerful for him! If you really   
want to know what I did to him I made him strong, that's what I did and look at how he repays me!"  
  
"Get these…*things* off of me!" Tori demanded. His voice was lower than a whisper but Boris heard   
him perfectly.  
  
"You can't get them off, once you've been marked you're marked for life!" he hissed and called for the   
guards to come and restrain him again. Tori wasn't waiting for them, he picked up his battered blade   
and ran. To his surprise Boris stepped aside to let him pass, Tori winced from the pain, it felt as if he   
was burning. He ran as far away from Biovolt as possible until he finally passed out on the streets.   
  
~ Office in Biovolt ~  
  
"Yes Mr. Hiwatari, he escaped." Boris said down a walkie talkie.   
  
"And you just let him go?" Voltaire's voice came through the other end.  
  
"It's a necessary sacrifice in order to gain true power, we can always capture him again once he's  
served his purpose."   
  
~ Hotel ~  
(Ami's POV)  
  
The moon's already up…full moon…so romantic. I shake my head in an attempt to get rid of those   
feelings but I know it's futile. Why did I have to fall in love? Is it even love or is it just one of those   
stupid crushes Minako gets every day?  
  
"Stupid!" I mutter angrily to myself, I'm supposed to look for Tori, I hope he hasn't gone to look for his   
grandfather. I kick a small stone with my frustration, look at what love's doing to me; I never used to   
get angry so easily, I never used to get angry at all. I walk along the training grounds, there's no one   
here now that it's night so I have some privacy.   
  
"Ray…" I whisper that name to the wind and my eyes widen as I hear Ray's voice but I can't quite   
make out what he's saying  
  
I know it's none of my business but my curiosity and dread makes me take a few more steps in the   
direction of Ray's voice. I hide behind some bushes and watch, gosh, I look like a stalker but I don't   
really care right now. My eyes open wide at the sight before me. 'This has to be a dream,' I tell myself   
but it's not, this is reality, cruel reality.  
  
******  
Mizu_Tenshi: What did Ami see? Vote on the pairings you want, who you want Ray to be with or if you think I   
should pair Kai or Tori with someone else, anything. Anyway, I WANT MY REVIEWS PLEASE! If   
there's something wrong with this fic then please tell me. Here are the replies to all of those people   
who have reviewed.   
  
jack - Yeah, thanks, I will keep writing.  
  
starwolf - That must be annoying. Anyway, I reviewed one of your fics and it was good! Your review   
really chhered me up. Dam yaoi! Sorry for to those people who like yaoi, I'm just pissed 'cos it's   
stealing my reviews.   
  
Sphinxqueen127 – Thanks, you really didn't get any reviews for three months? Well, if I see one of   
your stories I'll be sure to review it.  
  
heather – Good point. I'm doing everything I can to stop Kai from going too OOC but it's so hard! I'll   
make Kai more antisocial 'cos that's what he's like in the anime, right? I know Tori didn't get to kick   
Voltaire's ass but he will one day.  
  
Christina - I don't know, I'm not very smart when it comes to Mary Sue's, if anyone can tell me more   
about what makes up a Mary Sue then please tell me.   
  
Galux Kitty - Thanks, you're review really cheered me up! I hate yoai too. Thanks a load for this   
review.   
  
Sakura88 - Thanks, I'm glad some people liked it, I was getting really discouraged with so little   
reviews.  
  
By the Stars - You're welcome! I love your fic! Thanks for this review please tell me what pairing   
want.   
  
Angelfire - Yeah, the song was from my poems 'cos I couldn't find a song to fit with what was going   
on. Thanks so much for the review, it really cheered me up, I won't delete it now.  
  
matchmaker - Course I remember you! And it looks like Ray will be with Mariah, please keep   
reviewing. Ray and Mariah get to kiss *finally* in the sixth chapter of Beyblade meets Simpsons. R&R   
please! 


	6. The love triangle pt1

Mizu_Tenshi: Just a lame, short chapter I wrote up in I.T. class. Ami with Ray or Mariah with Ray?   
AND IT'S A TIE! I don't know which way to go since I like both characters.   
  
"…" Speech  
'…' Thought  
*…* Implied words  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own Beyblade. Necessary  
  
'He gave her rings and flowers, he gave her pieces of art but the only thing she wanted was his pure and   
innocent heart.'  
  
********  
Chapter 5: The love triangle pt1 - Tear  
  
****Dream****  
  
'Where the hell am I?' Tori asked, he knew he was standing on solid ground but when he looked down   
all he could see was black darkness, 'this is boring.'  
  
'There has to be an exit somewhere,' he said to himself as he walked in the direction he thought north   
was but there wasn't anything in that direction either. 'Where am I?' He asked himself. 'Isn't there   
anyone to help me?'  
  
"Help?" Said another voice, it sounded young and childish yet strangely mature and intelligent. "I   
thought you said that you would never need any help, or was that another one of your lies?"  
  
Tori's eyes widened, he knew that voice from long ago. "What the hell are you talking about?"  
  
"I got marked," Kai glared at him. "It should have been you but you ran away and left me."  
  
"That's bullshit!" Tori yelled. "I never left you!"  
  
"There you go again, you're lying to yourself so you won't have to deal with feeling guilty. It doesn't   
matter anymore, you've got what you deserved, you've been marked!" The five-year-old Kai grabbed   
Tori and ripped his shirt. The four blue triangles were there on Tori's stomach, they burnt like acid and   
Tori clutched his stomach in pain.  
  
"Ah, fuck! What the hell is going on?"   
  
"Can't you stand a little pain?" The chibi version of Kai asked mockingly. "You're feeling the pain that   
comes with being marked."  
  
"Crap!" Tori yelled as his eyes shot open. He was in a hospital, there were some nurses by his side with   
needles and blades. The pain in Tori's stomach had dulled down but it was still there nonetheless.   
"Crap…" Tori muttered at the blue triangles that were still on his stomach.   
  
~ Hotel ~  
(Mariah's POV)  
  
This has to be the best time of my life; sure we're not doing anything but I never get to have time alone   
with Ray. It's almost perfect, if only this could last forever but I have to get back before Lee gets   
worried.  
  
"The English tournament will begin in a few days, Kai's gonna make us train from dawn 'til dusk," Ray   
says. "Poor Tyson's gonna die when training starts tomorrow."  
  
"Oh, so if I hear someone screaming at night I don't have to get up 'cos it'll only be Kai killing Tyson,   
right?" I blush as Ray laughs. I check my watch and my eyes widen, it's twelve at night!   
  
"Well, I better get back," Ray says, he's obviously noticed the time too. Why does time always seem to   
speed up when I'm with Ray?   
  
"Hey, Ray," I tug his sleeve and pull him back down onto the bench we were sitting on. "Before you go   
I've gotta tell you something."  
  
"What is it, Mariah?" He looks at me with those amber eyes. I gulp a little Ray's obviously noticed   
since he's now looking really concerned; there's not much he doesn't notice. 'Go for it!' I tell myself,   
'just tell him how you feel.'   
  
"It's a secret," I grin a little nervously, "but I'll tell you." I indicate him to lean closer. My hearts going   
crazy, I'm surprised that Ray can't hear it. So close to him, I have to tell him now. I lean closer to   
whisper to him, we're so close I can see myself in his eyes, I can tell he's surprised but he doesn't move   
away, thank god.  
  
"Ray," I whisper. "Ray, I -"  
  
(Ami's POV)  
  
I feel tears welling up and I desperately try to blink them back. 'This has to be a bad dream' I tell   
myself as I watch them. They're going to kiss I know it! I don't think I can take this anymore, the pain   
is stabbing at my heart and each second just adds another ice daggers to my soul. A strangled cry   
escapes from my throat as my tears finally fall from my eyes. The couple look up from where they are   
standing, gosh, they look so perfect for each other, too perfect. I know they'll see me if I stand up but I   
don't care, I've got to get away so I stand up and run as fast as I can.  
  
"Stupid! Pathetic!" I mutter to myself as I run how could I have fallen in love like that? How could I   
have let my heart be crushed so easily?   
  
"Ami! Wait!" I hear Ray call. It's strange, I've always dreamt of the day he would call my name and I'd   
run into his arms…but now I'm running away from them.   
  
******  
  
Mizu_Tenshi: Ahhh! I can't believe I wrote that! Very short, I know but still. The thing is that they   
weren't really going to kiss but that's what it looks like to Ami and Mariah didn't even get to tell Ray   
how she feels. I'm cruel, I know. I wasn't sure if I should do them actually kissing but that wouldn't be   
fair to all those Ray/Ami supporters. No definite pairings yet so remember to vote. Please don't flame   
me for what I did just now. *Cowers behind a sofa. *   
  
By the Stars - Thank you, I'm glad you got more reviews. I was on my third chapter before anyone   
reviewed this fic. The blue triangles made sense? Whew!   
  
Sphinxqueen127 - I know, I know, that was really mean. *Lowers head in shame* Well maybe next   
time I'll let Ami have a scene with Ray.   
  
heather - That wasn't too bad, was it? I know you don't really like Mariah but I have to be democratic. I   
still can't believe I did that. *Continues muttering* Did you really mean put Ami with Kai or did you   
mean with Ray?   
  
Kairox - Yeah I guess I could but I suck at summaries. As for the Minako/Kai pairing I always thought   
opposites attracted, shows how much I know, huh? Well Minako's gonna grow up a little but after a   
few chapters if you're still against it I'll change the pairing.   
  
Kai_hater - Err…um…don't worry about it but if you don't like romance then why did you read it?   
Romance is the main genre or at least it was the last time I checked.   
  
starwolf - Thanks for all that info on Mary sue's. Did I make Tori sound lame in this chapter?   
  
Anime the Fallen Angel - I reviewed you're fic and it was good. Thanks for your review. Why is   
decision making so hard? Well I'll pair with whoever gets the most votes.  
  
matchmaker - Well I was going to do them kissing but my friend says I have to be democratic and not   
do any kissing scenes until the pairings are confirmed. 


	7. The love triangle pt2

"…" Speech  
'…' Thought  
*…* Implied words  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own Beyblade  
  
'What am I meant to say to make the pain go away? I've got no worth, I've got no pride so I curl up in   
a corner and hide'  
************  
  
Chapter 6: The love triangle pt2 - Confessions  
  
(Ami's POV)  
  
I wake up a little drowsily from my bed, my head is spinning and my eyes are sore from the crying I   
had done last night. I look over to where Minako is currently sleeping, good she's not awake yet, I   
creep quietly out of bed and make my way to the bathroom. I brush my teeth wash my face and all that   
other stuff you in there as I hear a knock on my door.  
  
"Mina, can you go get that please?" I call to Minako from inside the bathroom. I smile a little as I hear   
Minako's muffled groan.  
  
"Ami! Get your but out here!" Sam yells and bangs on the door. Geez, that's really friendly. I check my   
appearance one last time, making sure my eyes aren't too puffy I emerge from the bathroom door.  
  
"Yes?" I ask quietly, then I notice how serious Sam is looking. "What's wrong?" I ask a little   
cautiously.  
  
"Tori didn't show up last night," Sam said, almost on the verge of tears and a crying Sam is a very rare   
thing. I feel something in my stomach like I'm gonna be sick or something. "I got a call…Tori's in   
hospital."  
  
"What?!" Minako gasped. "How?"   
  
"I don't know but I'm going to see him today…he'll be fine," Sam added. "I was thinking about getting   
Kai, he is Tori's brother after all but I don't know what room he's staying in."  
  
"I know," I raise my hand. "I know what room he's in 'cos he's sharing a room with…" I trail off, it's   
too painful to say anymore.  
  
"Then what are you waiting for?" Minako cried, "Show us the way!"  
  
~ Bladebreaker's room ~  
(General POV)  
  
"Get up, Tyson!" Ray, Max and Kenny were trying to wake Tyson up in time for training.  
  
"Just a few more hours," Tyson muttered in his sleep.  
  
"I want him up now," Kai said, he was leaning against the wall in his usual position, far away from the   
others. "Hit him, threaten him, I don't care just get him up."  
  
"Tyson! We're all out of food," Max yelled into Tyson's ear.  
  
"What no food?" Tyson's eyes snapped wide open. He made a futile attempt to clamber out of bed but   
got tangled in the bed sheets and ended up on the floor with a loud thump.  
  
"Sorry, but it had to come to that!" Max laughed.   
  
Suddenly there was a knocking at the door as Ray went to answer it.  
  
"Ami!" Ray cried. "Listen, about last night…" Ami blushed and moved aside to let Sam in front.  
  
"Hey!" Sam smiled "Can we come in or what?"  
  
"Err...sure," Ray opened the doors to let the three girls in.  
  
"Long time no see, Kai!" Sam waved but Kai remained impassive, as if no one had entered the room.   
"Huh, is that how you treat your oldest and dearest childhood friend?" Sam stuck up her nose with   
mock dignity.  
  
"You know this girl, Kai?" Tyson asked. Kai just stood silently, he had the feeling he had seen her   
somewhere before but he couldn't quite remember where.  
  
"Huh? You're Tori's brother, no way!" Minako gaped. "Aren't you that guy who beat me?"  
  
"Brother?" all of the Bladebreakers, with the exception of Ray, looked at Kai questionably.   
  
"Yeah, I guess he hasn't told you that he has an older brother, Tori, the leader of the Terrabladers. I'm   
Sam, second in command, and this is Ami and Minako." Sam introduced her friends. "I already know   
who you guys are, the Bladebreakers are pretty famous."  
  
"So what do you want?" Max asked.  
  
"Kai," Sam's tone softened. "It's Tori, he's been put into hospital, I don't know how but I heard he was   
beat pretty bad. I was wondering if you'd come with us to the hospital to see him."  
  
Kai had his eyes closed; his arms were folded across his chest. Everyone was telling him Tori was his   
brother, they couldn't all be wrong, could they?   
  
'That idiot is my brother? How did he managed to get into hospital?" Kai asked himself. He had a   
feeling his grandfather had something to do with it; if that was the case then Tori probably was his   
brother. 'What was that idiot doing going into Biovolt like that anyway? Maybe I should go see him, I   
do have a few questions that need to be answered.'  
  
"Hello? Earth to Kai!" Tyson waved his hand in front of Kai's face only to heave it swatted away in   
annoyance.  
  
"No, I don't," Kai said bluntly and walked out of the room.  
  
"What?!" Sam yelled at Kai's back. "You won't go see your own brother? You jerk!"  
  
"Hey, leave him alone!" Minako defended. "Let's just go see Tori, okay?"  
  
"Ami…" Ray began but Ami cut through him.  
  
"You should go after Kai, he's your leader," Ami stared at the ground, it was just too painful to look   
into his eyes right now. She fidgeted under his gaze for a while and then broke free to join her team-  
mates that were already on their way to the hospital.  
  
Training grounds   
  
"Hey, Kai!" Tyson yelled. "What do you think you're doing? That was really mean, your brother's in   
the hospital and you won't even go to see him."  
  
Kai ignored them completely but that didn't discourage them, they were used to his silence.  
  
"Why won't you go see him?" Max asked. "Don't you like him?"  
  
"That's none of your business!" Kai snapped. "The tournament is nearly here so shut up and train!"  
  
They did train for several hours but Tyson kept pushing the issue about Tori and the others began to   
complain a little. Kai stayed quiet but annoyance was clearly etched into his features.   
  
"Maybe we should take a break," Kenny suggested.  
  
Kai nodded. Anything to get Tyson to stop complaining and to have a little time to himself, he would   
go and see Tori eventually but he would do things in his own time.   
  
The hospital  
(Minako's POV)  
  
We're all sitting by Tori's side. He looks pretty beat up with several fractured ribs, a broken arm and an   
assortment of bruises and cuts but all he'll say was that he got into a fight with some punk, it's so   
obvious it's a lie.   
  
"Looks like I'm gonna be out of action for a while, I'm sure you guys will be able to take on the   
opposing teams though."  
  
"Yeah, leave it all to us!" I grin. 'God, we are all so dead!'  
  
"So who are we up against?" Tori asks.  
  
"Let's see," Ami brings out her laptop and begins to type furiously. "We are up against the Singapore   
Sensei," Ami finally answers. Singapore Sensei? I've never heard of them, they'll probably be easy.  
  
"Don't get too over confidant," Tori warns me. "You never know how experienced some of these new   
teams are." I swear he's psychic or something, how does he know what I'm thinking?   
  
"Don't worry," I reassure him. "I'm unbeatable!"  
  
"Oh, so is that why you lost to Kai?" Sam winks at me. I feel myself blush deep red, I had almost   
forgotten about that!  
  
"Well maybe not unbeatable but I can still blade!" I say.   
  
"Oh, I see!" Sam grins evilly, why don't I like the look of that? "Maybe I can arrange it so that you can   
train with Kai personally, you seem to get a lot of sparks flying when you two battle!"   
  
God, I am gonna kill her! I wouldn't have minded so much if she hadn't said it right in front of Kai's   
brother and if Kai's brother didn't also happen to be my team captain! Why does the world keep   
screwing me over? Well two can play it that game!  
  
"Say, why don't I leave you two alone, come on, Ami."  
  
"Hey, where are you girls going?" Sam asked.   
  
"We're going back to the hotel, we'll see you!" I call and wave  
  
"But I don't need to-" Ami begins to say but I quickly cover her mouth. I respect Sam a lot but she is a   
slow mover! I've been playing cupid between those two ever since I met them and still nothing's   
happened!   
  
(Sam's POV)  
  
Guess I brought this upon myself, what could be more awkward than being stuck here alone with   
nothing to say?  
  
"Sam?" Tori says, I raise my eyebrows to show I'm listening. "On your way back could you get Ami to   
repair this?" He produces his battered up blade.  
  
"Tori, how did it get like that?" I gasp, it really is battered, I'm surprised it hasn't shattered.   
  
"I told you, I got into a fight with some guy."  
  
"Please, I've known you for more than ten years, you can't trick me so easily." He sighs and shakes his   
head, I narrow my eyes to see what he's sighing about.  
  
"Not much escapes you, huh?" Tori asks, I smile, I don't know why I just do.  
  
"Of course," A say proudly. "I see all and remember all, which reminds me, you never said thank you   
when I helped you get away from your grandfather."  
  
"Sure I never, sure, whatever you say," Tori laughs, it's really hard to get Tori to laugh, it's like   
teaching a parrot to sing in tune so when he does it feels really good.  
  
"No offence but Kai's being such a jerk, not even coming to say hi to his brother, that's gratitude for   
you!" Oops, maybe I shouldn't have said that but Tori seems cool with it.   
  
"It's been ten years, someone can change a lot in that amount of time."  
  
"He was so sweet when he was little, cute too," I add seeing Tori frown.  
  
"Hey, what about me, wasn't I cute too?"  
  
"I'll tell you f you tell me something," I grin, sometimes I can be such a genius!  
  
"What?' Tori asks suspiciously. Honestly, he should be able to trust me by now.  
  
"Tell me what happened, what really happened last night, I promise I won't say anything to Ami of   
Minako," my voice turns serious, I hate the sound of my voice when it turns serious but it's necessary.   
He begins to tell me everything and at the end I…well I don't really know how to feel.  
  
"You're grandfather's a jerk," I state simply and Tori smiles and laughs, he's been doing that a lot   
lately. "Don't worry, we'll get those bastards." I entwine my fingers through Tori's, I move a little   
closer to give him a hug. Group hug! Heh, my mind goes hyper like that sometimes.  
  
"You don't have to worry about it," Tori says softly.  
  
"Well I still worry, though I also have the tournament to worry about now and how to put up with   
Minako's annoying crushes. I wouldn't be surprised if that girl had been out with half the guys here!"  
  
"Sam…"  
  
"She's gonna have me grey in no time and as for Ami, she gets scared every time we're in a battle, I   
don't know how she got on our team in the first place."  
  
"Sam!"  
  
"Oh…sorry," I blush and avert my gaze, I always seem to babble when I'm nervous. Tori lifts my chin   
gently. Ah what the hell is he doing!? Not that I don't like what's going on it's just that it's surprising   
coming from Tori.   
  
"Tori?" I ask uncertainly as I lean nearer. His blood red eyes are looking straight at me. "Tori," I   
whisper as I grow more confident. I close my eyes, I know what's going to happen but it seems to take   
ages or is that just because my heart seems to be beating faster?   
  
Finally our lips get to meet, and feels goooood! I savour the feeling, I want this moment to last forever.   
  
The hotel   
(General POV)  
  
The Bladebreakers were training with the White Tigers in the large area when Minako and a very   
reluctant Ami came running up to them.  
  
"Hi!" Minako waved cheerfully.  
  
"Oh, hi, Minako, isn't it?" Max smiled.  
  
"That's right," Minako nodded before turning her attention to the stoic leader of the Bladebreakers.   
"So do you have anymore tips?" Minako asked. Kai said nothing.  
  
Ami averted her gaze, trying not to exchange glances with Mariah or Ray.  
  
"Ami?" Ray said. His voice took her by surprise and she stared up into amber eyes, she had been   
caught. "Can I talk to you for a second?"  
  
"Sure," Ami was forced to agree. They walked into the hotel, only Ami seemed to notice Mariah   
staring at their backs.  
  
"What's wrong?" Ray asked.  
  
"What do you mean?" Ami tried to avoid what was coming next.  
  
"Ever since yesterday you've been acting strangely."  
  
Ami's lip quivered slightly, she couldn't hold it in no matter how hard she tried, she snapped and began   
yelling. "Well what do you think is wrong?" she cried. "I saw you about to kiss Mariah! You can't   
imagine how horrible it felt, I love you and you won't even -" She gasped and covered her mouth but it   
was too late, it was already out in the open.  
  
Ray was in shock that was the last thing he had expected. "You think I was gonna kiss Mariah?" Ray   
asked, still getting over the shock. He had never thought about it but now that he did who did he love?   
Ami or Mariah? Did he even love any of them?  
  
"Ami…I don't know what to say."  
  
'Say you love me,' was what Ami wanted to say but she didn't have the guts, she had always been like   
this; she could never admit how she felt, she would just watch whoever she loved until they went out   
with someone else. Maybe if she wasn't so dam scared she would have been able to get someone by   
now, it was times like this she wished she had Minako's ability to fall in and out of love so easily.   
  
"Don't say anything," Ami almost whispered. "You'd just make it hurt even more." With that she   
turned and walked away. Ray didn't stop her.  
  
************  
  
Mizu_Tenshi: Please don't kill me! *Continues cowering behind a sofa* What did I do that for? Maybe   
to please the Ami/Ray supporters or maybe I was just on a sugar high…hmmm probably the second   
one. Long chapter to compensate for the very short one I did before. I know there's no plot in this   
but there will be it's just very slow moving and I'm stuck on everyone's crazy emotions. READ AND   
REVIEW!   
  
starwolf - A longer chapter to make up, I'm glad Tori didn't sound lame.  
  
heather - It's okay. I'm being really cruel; I just don't know who to pair Ray with so I'm lingering.  
  
Anime the Fallen Angel - Was that enough Kai? I know Minako is so not Kai's type but I have   
something in mind that will change that.  
  
anime4u2 - Sure, I reviewed your fic, it was good. How was this chapter, not much has happened but   
the plot should pick up.  
  
matchmaker - Ray didn't kiss Ami and it looks like it will Mariah and Ray   
unless a load of people vote otherwise. 


	8. Everyone thinks it over

"…" Speech  
'…' Thought  
*…* Implied words  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own Beyblade   
  
'I never thought I could be wrong, never thought there was another way. Baby, it's been too long, so   
please promise me that you'll stay.'  
  
********  
  
Chapter 7: Everyone thinks it over  
  
(Ray's POV)  
  
I can't really concentrate as I watch my beyblade spin in the dish. I'm still thinking about what just   
happened a few hours ago. I can't believe she actually said that, why didn't I see it before? I guess it's   
my fault, I was the one who wanted to know what was wrong. I hope she won't act awkwardly around   
me but I wouldn't blame her if she did. Everyone else has gone, I tried to avoid Mariah, I hope I didn't   
hurt her feelings, I just need some time alone to think.  
  
(General POV)  
  
Minako made her way through one of the lesser-known parks; the sunlight shone down through the tree   
of the deserted area and the slight wind rustled the leaves. Everything was silent with the exception of   
the faint rustling of leaves in the wind and the quiet bird song.   
  
Minako's ears pricked at the sound of something louder than bird song, at the sound of people. She   
hadn't expected anyone to be here, she presumed that everyone would be visiting the more famous   
parks and botanic gardens.   
  
"At least there's someone here to talk to," she muttered, she disliked being alone even if she had   
nothing to say she still liked to have company. She smiled as she rounded the corner to see the familiar   
faces of Kai, Tyson and Max.   
  
"Hey, guys," she called cheerfully. "Why are you training here and not at the hotel?"  
  
"Hotel's too packed," Max said.   
  
"Mind if I join you?" Minako asked.  
  
"Actually, we're done, Mr. Sour pants here is finally letting us go for a lunch break," Tyson indicated   
Kai who just glared at Tyson. "You can come with us if you want," Tyson offered.   
  
"Are you going too, Kai?" Minako asked. Kai, who saw leaning under a tree with his arms crossed   
against his chest, shook his head. "Then I'll train with you!" she grinned. "I've gotten much better since   
last time!"  
  
"Who said I was training?" Kai rose from out of his usual position and began to walk in the opposite   
direction from which Minako had came.  
  
"Don't mind him, he's always like that," Max apologised but Minako wasn't listening. She ran after the   
stoic boy.  
  
"Kai! Hey, where are you going?" She ran up to him and tried to keep up as Kai's pace quickened.   
"One quick battle won't hurt, are you scared?" She teased. Kai kept silent, his annoyance was clearly   
etched on his face. "Come on, it's such a beautiful day, why don't you lighten up a bit?"   
  
Kai continued walking, acting as if she wasn't there, she was probably the most annoying person he had   
come across with the exception of Tyson.   
  
"Huh, meanie," she pouted. "Well, I know how to cure that!" She made a grab for his arm but at that   
precise second Kai grabbed her incoming hand and threw it away as if it would burn if it touched him.   
  
"Go away, Minako!" He glared angrily at the rather scared girl. "Immature little brat!" He muttered but   
Minako caught it and it stung. She lowered her head and let him walk past.   
  
"Hey, you okay?" Tyson asked. "Yeesh, someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed!"  
  
"Nah, I'm okay, thanks Tyson," Minako sighed and walked away.  
  
~ Hotel ~  
  
Ami made her way to the Bladebreaker's hotel room, she didn't know why she was doing this she just   
knew that she had to find out how Ray felt about her. He had been too shocked to react before but now   
she had to know.  
  
'You're crazy,' her mind told her. 'It's only been a few hours, he needs more time. He loves Mariah   
anyway, why would he want to be with you when he's got someone like her? She's tough, pretty and   
upbeat, what are you? You're a scrawny little girl who doesn't like fighting and is too scared of what   
others think of you to do anything, you'll just get your heart ripped apart.'  
  
Ami shook her head in an attempt to free herself of those negative thoughts, yes, she would probably   
get her heart torn but anything had to be better than the slow, agonising dread she was currently   
feeling. She had to get it over with. She took a deep breath as she approached that fateful door and   
knocked three times.  
  
"No turning back now, Ami," her mind told her.  
  
The door opened but where she expected Ray to be there was a smaller boy about her age with brown   
hair and thick glasses there instead.   
  
"Err…Hello?" Ami smiled sheepishly. "Is Ray here?"  
  
The boy shook his head. "I haven't seen Ray since this morning, I think he went down to train."  
  
"Oh…" Ami wasn't sure if she was relieved or disappointed. "Well, if you see him can you please tell   
him Ami was looking for him?"  
  
'That'll probably drive him away," her brain said nastily.  
  
"Ami Kagami? You're one of the Terrabladers right?"  
  
"And you are…"  
  
"Kenny, well the others call me chief," Kenny smiled and offered her a hand. "You were one of the   
three girls that came here today, right?" Ami nodded and shook the hand uneasily.   
  
"Hey, chief, I found the info you were looking for," another female voce rang out from inside.  
  
"Oh, I didn't know you had company, sorry," Ami apologised.  
  
"It's just my laptop, Dizzi," Kenny shook his head.  
  
"A talking laptop?" Ami gasped.   
  
"Hey, I happen to be a bitbeast, I just got trapped in here that's all." Dizzi said hotly. "Kenny would be   
nothing without me!"  
  
"Okay, I get the idea, you don't have to rub it in, Dizzi!" Kenny laughed.   
  
"Err…" Ami began, she should just leave but her curiosity wouldn't let her move until she had found   
out more about the mysterious laptop. "…So what were you looking for?"   
  
"Info on other teams, I doesn't hurt to know about your opponents before a battle," Kenny replied.  
  
"Hey, that's what I do!" Ami smiled a little, it was still hard to smile. "But I can never find much, do   
you think you could do a scan on the Singapore Sensei?"   
  
(Minako's POV)  
  
I can't remember the last time I felt so down, I wish I had gone with Tyson and Max instead of trying to   
get Kai to lighten up.   
  
"Stupid!" I mutter trough mouthfuls of my hotdog, why do I always eat when I'm depressed? If it   
wasn't for all that training I do I would have been fat ages ago.   
  
I blink back tears as I watch the ducks swim across their filthy little pond and approach me with their   
annoying quacks. Why does it hurt so much? Was it because Kai was telling the truth?  
  
"What do you want? It's *my* food!" I tell the ducks, if only they could understand me but they keep   
on quacking and making so much noise that I finally snap. "FINE! Have it!" I chuck the rest of my   
hotdog at them and they disperse as it hits the water with a splash. I stand there panting at my own   
rage, poor ducks; I shouldn't have done that.   
  
"Sorry," I apologise. "I'm just in a bad mood." I don't know why I'm feeling so down. I've gotten loads   
of crushes on other guys before and it never hurt so much. I never once felt like crying when they had   
rejected me, gone out with other girls or called me names and believe me, I have been called worse   
than 'immature brat' before and it had never once hurt so much.  
  
'I bet you that by tomorrow you won't like him anymore…'  
  
'Fuck off, Minako, you should take love more seriously!'  
  
'Forget it, he's too good for a you…'  
  
'You're such a bitch, you can't even fight!'  
  
Yeah, they had all said that to me, all those guys from school. To tell the truth I did get crushes a lot   
but it wasn't as bad as everyone thought, I didn't fall in love with every cute guy that crossed my path   
and I wasn't as persistent as everyone thought I just liked the giddy feeling that comes with crushes. I   
was lonely, that's all, and I just wanted to know what it felt like to have a relationship. I didn't need to   
grow up, I was always very mature I just didn't like to show it 'cos that would mean I could no longer   
fall into those little crushes I liked so much. I was never really serious, that's why it never hurt to hear   
those things but now…  
  
"But now it hurts…" my eyes widen as I realise why it hurts and it scares me. I love him. Love, I wince   
inwardly, a crush is one thing but love is completely different. I can't love anyone! Love is completely   
alien to me. I can't love. "It's not true!"   
  
(Kai's POV)   
  
I make my way through London pushing past anyone who gets in my way, my head bowed and my   
hands in my pockets. I need answers, and the only one who seems to be able to give me them is Tori. I   
know where Tori is, there's only one hospital around the area he could have gone to. Sam and   
Tori…they're from my childhood. Wait a minute, what childhood? I never had a childhood. I'm sure   
Tori will have the answers, but what if he's lying? I shake my head to get rid of all these contradicting   
thoughts, something tells me that he would never lie to me but my training keeps telling me to never   
trust anyone. I take a short cut through an alleyway, away from the noise and the disgusting smell of   
traffic fumes but I can still sense the presence of others. Someone's here.  
  
"Kai Hiwatari?"  
  
"Yes?" I ask the shadows, I don't have to see him to know it's another one of my grandfather's   
employees.   
  
"I have been ordered by Mr. Hiwatari to bring you to him," the man emerges from the darkness in a   
black suit and tie. Only one man? And he's not even an elite; I can take him out no problem. "I haven't   
come here to fight," he tells me. I'm a bit shocked but I don't show it, what the hell is he thinking? That   
I'll just go with him to see my insane bastard of a grandfather?   
  
"Then get outta my way," I growl at him, I'm prepared to attack even if he won't.   
  
"That won't be necessary," the man snaps. Who does he think he's talking to? "Mr. Hiwatari said you   
would come co-operatively if I showed you this."   
  
'Yeah, sure I'll go running back into his open arms,' I think sarcastically as the man hands me a folder. I   
open it curiously, inside are papers on different experiments, statistics on bladers and beyblades, it's a   
load of crap, I'm about to rip up the folder when something catches my eye. A photo of something I   
thought I had forgotten.  
  
"Fuck, that insane bastard really went ahead and did it," I murmur. I look up at the man who is   
smirking, he knows he's won. Bastard, he'll get his soon but for now I nod and indicate to him to lead   
the way. Visiting Tori can wait, this is much more important.  
  
*********************  
Mizu_Tenshi: Ahhhh! I don't know what I'm doing anymore! *Runs around in circles frantically*   
Anyway, I hope no one minds some fantasy, it's necessary for the plot to start. M/R is winning by just   
one vote! AHHHH! Thank you for all the reviews and…um…death threats I got. ^_^; Here are my   
replies.  
  
Fire Fenix - AHHH! *Hides behind couch* No pencils please!  
  
anime4u2 - Thanks for reviewing. No R/M in this chapter but I think I'll have some up soon. Who am I   
gonna pair Ami up with if I don't pair her up with Ray?  
  
Kim - Aww! That's sweet the 'they're meant to be together' It might end up R/M since most people have   
voted that way  
  
Galux Kitty - Eep. I've already been threatened by demon pencils. How can you torture someone with   
toothpicks and hairclips…actually, don't answer that. *Shudders*   
  
heather - Please don't stop reading this fic but I have a bounty on my head if I make this R/A. STAY   
AWAY EVIL PENCIL OF DOOM! Well, if enough people vote R/A then I'll make it R/A and just   
deal with the toothpicks.   
  
typical ME - Yeah, it would be a refreshing change but a lot of people seem to want it to be R/M.   
Thanks for reviewing.  
  
starwolf - Thanks, I'm glad you won't stop reading. I hope others won't stop R&R-ing either. I've   
already written up chapter 9! And I've finished my B meets S fic. Yay!   
  
matchmaker - Yes after many votes, death threats and beating from my friends it looks like this'll be an   
R/M fic. Now I can't stop singing the Oompa lumpa song!   
  
hikari-tenshi - Thank you, I'll continue as soon as I finish this dam case study. *Note: You can stop   
reading, I'm just gonna continue rambling on about case studies* ARGH! Stupid baka of a case study!   
Shi-ne! 


	9. Being myself

Mizu_Tenshi: OKAY! I Re-wrote this chapter six times before I thought it was worth anyone else reading   
so I'd be extremely pissed if I get flamed now. The poem is mine AGAIN but I don't own Beyblade.   
  
"…" Speech  
'…' Thought  
*…* Implied words  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own Beyblade   
  
'It's the price of perfection. 'Cos no one gives a dam. I look my reflection and I ask who I really am.'   
  
**********  
  
Chapter 9: Watashi Rashiku   
  
(Minako's POV)  
  
I sit alone in my room. It's late afternoon and I haven't seen Kai or any of the others lately. Tyson, Max,   
Kenny and Ray are probably eating out somewhere, Sam's still with Tori; she's been there for hours! And   
Ami…I have no idea where the hell Ami is. It's strange, before I never ever wanted to be alone.  
  
'Don't leave me alone!' my mind cries out to no one in particular. God, I used to hate being alone 'cos being   
alone was like being unloved and forgotten. I wanted to surround myself amongst a tight group of friends,   
have them shield me and protect me from hurt and all the painful things in life. I wasn't strong enough to be   
on my own…I'm still not strong enough…not strong enough to fall in love.  
  
I shake my head, if only the others could see me now; depressed and serious, they would probably wonder   
where the good old Minako went. The Minako who would glomp people who beat her, the Minako who   
would fall into crushes so easily, the cheerful yet slightly hyper Minako, the Minako they all knew and   
loved  
  
'I'm not a simple as that!' My mind cries as tears begin to fall. 'Why am I crying?' I ask myself. A few   
simple words have never affected me so badly as to make me shed tears. Kai will never love me, not after   
what he said, what he called me so why am I still in love with him?  
  
Suddenly hear my mobile go off; I sit on my bed, contemplating whether it was worth answering or not. I   
finally reach for my duffel bag and pull it out. Gathering all my strength to keep my voice steady I speak   
tentatively into the phone.   
  
"Hello? Oh, mum, Guten Täg" I clear my tear-choked throat, it's been a while since I've talked to my mum.   
"Ja, I'll take a train and visit you as soon as possible, I've just been really busy. Ja, Ich bin fein," I lie, the   
last thing I want is for her to worry about me, she's been depressed ever since my dad got a divorce. I know   
it isn't *that* unusual, a lot of children and couples go under divorce but it's still heartbreaking for her   
because my mum always loved my dad and she still does.  
  
"Yes, mum, you'll be watching when I take home the English cup, won't you? Yeah, I'll dedicate the   
victory to you. Auf Wiedersehen." I off my phone and sigh. The only thing I think I can do is to push all   
these nagging thoughts at the back of my mind, the tournament is tomorrow and I can't be distracted.  
  
~ Restaurant ~  
  
(General POV)  
  
Ray sat eating a late lunch in a fast food joint with the rest of his team-mates, minus Kai of course, and the   
White Tigers. He still didn't know how he felt about Ami or Mariah but he decided to stay positive, no   
matter what happens they'd all still be friends.   
  
Tyson and Gary were having an eating competition,   
  
'I don't know how we're gonna pay the bill with those two eating like it's the end of the world! We'll   
probably end up scrubbing dishes or taking orders for the rest of our lives.' Ray mused slightly.  
  
"Hey, Kenny, the tournament starts tomorrow, who are we playing?" Max asked.  
  
"We're not playing anyone yet but we will the day after," Kenny informed them "I think they're called the   
Element Guardians, they're supposed to be really tough."  
  
"We'll beat them no problem!" Tyson cried with a mouthful of food.   
  
"We'll be playing tomorrow," Mariah smiled at Ray, flashing her dazzling white fangs. "And so is those   
two girls we met before…their team will be playing tomorrow too, not against us of course but I'd still like   
to see how they battle…what were they called again?"  
  
"The Terrabladers," Li answers, "Ami and Minako were their names."  
  
"Yeah I knew that," Mariah laughs nervously. "Anyway, you will be watching us, right Ray?"   
  
"Yeah, I wouldn't miss it!"  
  
"Thanks," Mariah gave another charming smile. "It's important to have support from people who care near   
you during tough times and battles."  
  
"Yeah, well I better get back and practice," Ray nodded, gulping down the last of his food he excused   
himself from the table.  
  
As he reached the hotel the need to practice slowly seeped from his body.   
  
'Am I getting lazy?' Ray wondered. 'Well I do need a break before the start of the tournament tomorrow.'   
He frowned slightly at his rather lame attempt to convince himself to take a break; he was never good at   
lying even to himself.   
  
He made his way one of the lounges, there were some other bladers hanging around the massive room of   
soft chairs, tables and vending machines.  
  
The radio was up full blast, some love song was on and there was a group of boys arguing with some girls   
over the radio station. As Ray approached a seemingly empty table he heard a shuffling noise from   
underneath it. Curiously, he looked under to see who or what was causing the noise.  
  
//Look at me and you'll find  
I'm hidden deep within your mind//  
For every glance you gave away   
A part of me will always stay//  
  
"Hi Ami," he greeted her, suppressing a smile caused by seeing her in such an odd position. Quickly Ami   
straitened up banging her head on the table.  
  
"Ow!" she cried. Crawling backwards from under the table she finally managed to stand up straight rubbing   
her head.  
  
"What we're you doing under there?" Ray smiled.  
  
"I wasn't hiding!" She cried so fast that it made him jump a little. "I mean I was…I was…looking for my   
pen." She sat or rather dumped herself dejectedly on one of the chairs surrounding the table.  
  
//We had to go our separate way  
'Cos of all the things you couldn't say   
Lost the chance, fell from grace  
Just too tired to run the race//  
  
"Did you find it?" Ray asked.  
  
"…No," Ami sighed.  
  
Ray couldn't help but feel a little guilty at her current state; he was the one who asked her to tell him what   
was wrong.   
  
'This is my fault so it's my responsibility to patch things up again.' He thought as he sat down and swivelled   
his chair round so that he was sitting next to her.  
  
"Ray?" She tensed a little, Ray felt a pang of sorrow, was that how she was going to treat him from now   
on? Like a red-hot fire that could burn her at any time?  
  
//Tell me what you're living for   
'Cos I'm that girl you can't ignore  
No matter where you may be  
The image of me is all you'll see//  
  
"C'mon," Ray smiled. "I don't feel like blading right now so let's go do something fun!"  
  
"Like what?"  
  
"I don't know, we could hit the dance floor."   
  
"Not now," Ami declined. She remembered the last time they were dancing. That time when *she* turned   
up and all her hopes of ever getting Ray to notice her fully had been dashed to pieces. She wished she could   
hate Mariah for that, she had every right to but she couldn't the girl was just too dam friendly and Ami   
knew there was no use in hating anyone because of how they felt. It would not change anything. She would   
still be ignored.  
  
//Don't break it, don't break her heart  
Just think of the love you two could start  
Just think of me as a dream  
'Cos not everything's as they seem//  
  
"Then you choose," Ray offered. "If you keep going like this we'll end up with another Kai on our hands. I   
miss the old Ami, c'mon; we had fun, didn't we? Let's just carry on from here on."  
  
"And what?" Ami's eyes flashed with anger. "And pretend that everything's normal? And pretend that I   
never said all those stupid things?!"  
  
Ami took a deep shuddering breath. There was a pause of uncomfortable silence between the two.   
  
'Don't cry,' Ami said to herself. 'Not now, not her, not in front of him.' He didn't have to say anything for   
her to finally realise that he didn't love her. Maybe he didn't love any of them, maybe he wasn't prepared for   
a relationship, she just knew that he didn't love her.  
  
'Oh great, now you've done it,' Ray's brain said sarcastically. 'Do something before the poor girl breaks   
down.' Ray heeded his brain's advice and did the first thing that popped into his mind.  
  
//You made that poor girl think that you  
Loved her as much as she did too  
But for every loving word you said  
I was always in your head//  
  
Ray leaned towards her and Ami found herself magnetically drawn to Ray as well.   
  
As Ray neared Ami something flashed across his mind.  
  
***Flashback***  
  
"Ray! Ray!" A young Mariah called as Ray approached her. "C'mon Ray, teach me more tricks! I've got the   
blade you gave me right here."  
  
"Okay, easy Mariah!" Ray laughed. He fitted the blade on the launcher and pulled the ripcord. The blade   
flew off the launcher and hit a tree making cherry blossom rain down on Mariah's head.  
  
"Pretty!" Mariah gasped but Ray wasn't done yet. The blade bounced off the tree and landed on the   
pavement between the two.   
  
"Drigger, go!" Ray yelled. The tiger emerged from the blade and danced around Mariah, purring with   
pleasure.   
  
"That's the…that's the White Tiger bitbeast!" Mariah gasped. "How did you…"  
  
"Does it matter?" Ray smiled a the blade returned to his hand  
  
"That was beautiful, Ray!" Mariah exclaimed with delight.   
  
"It's just for show, it's not gonna win me any battles," Ray blushed modestly. "I 'm gonna be a professional   
blader when I grow up."  
  
"That sounds good and I'll always be cheering you on. I'll always be there for you, it's important to have   
someone who cares for you around at all times."  
  
***End of Flashback***  
  
Ray suddenly pulled away, leaving a very confused and hurt Ami. Ray was in a daze. It was as if someone   
had removed the clouds in his head and he was able to see the sun clearly again. He had finally grasped the   
answer that had plagued his mind for so long.  
  
"Sorry Ami, I gotta go!" Ray jumped out of his seat and ran.  
  
~ Biovolt ~   
  
Kai stood in a dimly lit stone chamber below Biovolt with the large metal door to his back. Torches along   
the side of the walls bathed the room in a soft yet foreboding light. Four test tubes encircled the room, two   
of which were empty and the other two held bitbeasts in them. Tala and Boris stood in the shadows; Boris   
was leaning against the wall furthest from Kai with a slight smirk on his face.  
  
"I new you'd be interested when you saw the pictures," Boris said. "It's been a while since you've been here,   
hasn't it?"  
  
Kai ignored Boris' self-satisfied comments because his eyes were firmly locked on the empty test tube in   
front of him.   
  
Images of what the tube's former resident flickered across his mind, what had happened to it?  
  
"You've noticed that Tarae has gone," Boris growled.   
  
'Well, duh,' Kai rolled his eyes sarcastically. "How can I not notice that a giant snake bitbeast has   
disappeared?'  
  
"*That* one escaped." Boris looked angry, as if the memory was mocking him. "It escaped while it was   
still incomplete and we haven't been able to locate it. It doesn't matter, it's just one, we have plenty more as   
you can see."  
  
'But Tarae was better than the others,' Kai told himself as the memory of the event seeped back into his   
mind. Tarae was better, stronger but most of all Tarae was supposed to be *his*   
  
*** Flashback ***  
  
A chibi version of Kai stood in the same room staring at the same test tube and ignoring everything else.   
The large dormant snake floated limply, submerged in a queer looking yellow liquid.  
  
"Impressive, isn't it?" Boris asked. "Project Inori, we've almost completed it!"  
  
Kai kept silent, his eyes never leaving the snake.   
  
"Not impressed?" Boris smirked. "Well then let me explain. These new beasts are called Origins, they will   
help make you a perfect soldier but they're not meant to go in a beyblade, they're meant to live inside you   
feeling what you feel and sensing what you sense. They have the ability to alter human consciousness and   
eliminate all distractions during battle." Boris smirked a little. "Forever the human mind has been burdened   
by worries and distractions which stop us from obtaining perfection but now we have found a way of   
eliminating those distractions whether fighting or blading. They with give you power beyond your wildest   
dreams, you fight as one…that is, if you can synchronise successfully with them."  
  
"If you can't?" Kai asked laconically.  
  
"If you can't they take possession of your body and use it to their own discretion. The Origins have   
personalities and goals of their own, you have to over power them or they won't respect you. The higher   
the synchronisation ratio the better chance you have of harnessing their power."  
  
Boris moved in front of the test tube with the snake in it.   
  
"I see you have an eye for power, this is Tarae and she will be the most powerful Origin of them all. Your   
grandfather has decided that you will be her master once the project is complete."  
  
Kai's crimson eyes flashed with the new power they were offering. His gaze turned to the other Origins in   
their little tubes, they had no appeal to him; Tarae was all he wanted.   
  
*** End Flashback ***  
  
It had made sense, back then he was working for Biovolt but why did they want him here now? He wasn't   
going to listen to his grandfather anymore.   
  
"Now if you're wondering why you're here the explanation is simple," Boris unknowingly read Kai's mind.   
"You may not have Tarae but I have another Origin that I think might interest you," Boris indicated the   
third test tube. "That's Dryx the wolf, we're offering him to you along with the chance to achieve the power   
and perfection you both desires."   
  
"And what do you want in return?" Kai asked, he knew for a fact that Biovolt would never give anything   
away for free.   
  
Boris threw his head back and laughed, the sound echoed through the stone chamber. "Not much escapes   
you, does it? The truth is that we have finally been able to locate Tarae and we want you to catch her and   
bring her back to us."  
  
Kai frowned suspiciously. Was Biovolt so incompetent that they couldn't even catch one incomplete   
Origin? He turned to look at Dryx; there was something about that wolf that drew him rather like when he   
was drawn towards Black Dranzer. An Origin for an Origin, it was a fair trade but Kai knew batter than to   
believe that Biovolt played fair.  
  
'I reckon my synchronisation rate with Dryx is around 70% but that still doesn't mean it won't be able to   
take over,' Kai mused.   
  
"Come now, it really isn't so bad, Tala has synchronised with Geara and, as you can see, he's fine."  
  
Kai looked at Tala. So that was what had happened to the Origin in the second test tube. Tala did look   
perfectly healthy, even Kai had to admit that, in fact, Tala looked more than healthy he looked stronger as   
well.   
  
"Fine," Kai agreed. He would play their way for a while but once he found Tarae he would be the one   
keeping her.   
  
"Tarae wasn't complete when it escaped so it wasn't strong enough to inhabit a human, instead it has   
resided in a blade like any other bitbeast. Bring her to us and we'll complete the procedure," Boris   
instructed. "The person with Tarae is competing in the tournament. You'll recognise it when you see it.   
How you capture the Origin is up to you."  
  
"I believe you promised me Dryx," Kai cut through impatiently.  
  
"You want your payment in advance? That's fine by me, just remember, you have to over power it or it will   
gain control of your body," Boris approached the test tube and pressed a couple of buttons. The test tube   
opened and yellow liquid drained away, the wolf's amber eyes snapped open and it leaped out of the test   
tube. It snarled as it lay its eyes on Kai. Baring its fangs menacingly as it approached him.  
  
Kai stood impassive and determined to master the black wolf that stood in front of him. 'You can   
synchronise with Dryx better than anyone.' He told himself. The wolf finally made its decision; it snarled   
and leaped at Kai, as it reached Kai it leaped right into him.  
  
Kai staggered, it was too queer to describe what he felt when Dryx entered his body, all he felt now was   
unbearable pain and Dryx fought for control. It was like something was trying to rip through his skin from   
the inside, like his insides were being submerged in acid. Panting for breath, Kai's eyes switched from   
amber to crimson in a flicker, Kai clutched his head, groaning in agony.  
  
Finally Kai stopped struggling, he rose his head still gasping after that brief fight. His eyes were the colour   
of blood.  
  
"I knew you could synchronise with it," Boris smirked. "Now, it is your turn to keep up your end of the   
bargain."  
  
Kai half smirked, half glared at Boris and then at Tala. He wouldn't give them Tarae if his life depended on   
it but he kept silent and left.   
  
"You don't really believe Kai will keep his end of the bargain, do you?" Tala asked.  
  
"Of course not," Boris' eyes sparkled with malice. "I was the one who trained him to be cunning and   
devious, I know how he thinks, he'll find Tarae but he won't give it to us. That's why I have ordered the   
elite to keep him under constant surveillance so when he does find it they'll be ready to take back Tarae and   
Dryx."  
  
*************  
  
Mizu_Tenshi: Confused? Well all will be explained in due time. I know it says Romance/Action/Adventure   
but there's gonna be angst, comedy and fantasy but not a lot. May seem very far-fetched but it will be   
explained.   
  
heather - Well I guess you know how it will go. Sorry but so many people wanted R/M Pier pressure!   
*hyperventilates* Oh well, I learned my lesson, never again will I do a love triangle   
  
starwolf - Well, here's chapter nine. Hope you didn't think this was too far fetched. I RE-WROTE IT SIX   
TIMES! *Hyperventilates again* Maybe I should sit down now.   
  
anime4u2 - Whoohoo! 9th chapter! Maybe I will pair Ami with Kenny; he doesn't seem to get a lot of   
action.  
  
Galux Kitty - Hmm I'm trying to decide what would be worse. Barney, definitely Barney *shudders*   
Thanks for the review I'm glad so many people like it.  
  
Sakura88 - Ah…more death threats. Thank you for your review…I need a bodyguard.   
  
Anime the Fallen Angel - Thanks for the idea, I think I'll be using it in later chapters but that depends on   
how the rest of the story goes.  
  
Fireglow - Yay! Finally someone who likes the pairing! I'm trying to stop Kai from going OOC.  
  
Galux Phoenix - Well I'm sure you can guess the pairing. I'm glad you liked it too! 


	10. Falling tears, falling feathers

"…" Speech  
'…' Thought  
*…* Implied words  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own Beyblade'  
  
'I'm no angel, I'm no goddess. Am I still good anough for you?'  
****************  
  
Chapter 9: Falling tears, a falling feather  
  
Kai's crimson orbs fluttered open. He grabbed his head in pain, allowing a small groan to escape his   
lips. Rolling over he checked the time.  
  
"What! 8:00?" Kai jumped out of bed and into the bathroom, grabbing his wash things and locking the   
door after him. His head throbbed with pain, he could hardly remember what had happened last night   
but dark circles round his eyes and his paler-than-usual skin gave him hints of the late night event.  
  
Why did he ever agree to this? Dryx was wearing him down in an effort to gain control.   
  
'If he feels what I feel he should be wearing himself down too,' Kai thought, so how come Dryx seemed   
as strong as ever? He shook his head and went down to the training area for practice  
  
The rest of his team-mates were in the area with the White Tigers and, much to Kai's annoyance, the   
Terrabladers. He didn't like training with others but he was team leader so he had to make sure his team   
was improving especially with their match coming. He stood close enough to view the training but far   
enough for him to feel comfortable.  
  
A highway-training dish was slightly raised; it was more of an obstacle course with a timer running.   
Ray was currently trying the course but it looked as if he was struggling, his blade wobbled and   
dropped speed as obstacles popped out to bar his way.  
  
"Keep going!" Ray called. His blade was nearing the end of the course as the timer ticked by.  
  
Suddenly a red block blocked half of the track forcing Ray's blade to turn sharply so that it wouldn't   
crash.  
  
"Thirty seconds!" Mariah called.  
  
"Yeah, way to go!" Tyson patted him on the back. "Ten second faster and you would have tied with the   
high score of twenty seconds!"   
  
"Let me try now!" Minako jumped up and down. "Speed is my speciality!"  
  
She stood up by the dish and readied her launcher as Max started the timer and Tyson did a count   
down.   
  
"3…2…1…Let it rip!"  
  
Minako pulled the cord. Her blade landed on the high way and raced along the tracks. Her blade   
wobbled slightly but she was doing okay despite her undignified screams. "Ah! No! To the left, to the   
left! No, the other left! AH!"  
  
The time was fifteen seconds as she neared the end when suddenly the same red block Ray had   
encountered popped up.  
  
"Watch out!" Minako screamed a warning but she was going to fast. Her blade smacked into the red   
barricade and went flying into the air, landing on the floor in front of her.  
  
"Oh, and I nearly did it too," Minako moaned as she bent down to pick up her blade. Her eyes turned to   
meet Kai's. He had the same cold glare he always had on his face; he looked at her with disdain at her   
pitiful performance. She fidgeted a bit and broke off. She knew she had just shown him a terrible   
display of her skill.  
  
'And now he'll forever think of me as a weak, pathetic looser.'  
  
"That was terrible. You better shape up," Sam warned. "The match is today and we can't afford to loose   
especially with Tori out of action."  
  
"Oh, I get it now," Minako smirked.   
  
"Yeah," Kevin piped in. "It all comes together now."  
  
"Huh? What does?" Tyson looked at his team-mates and the other two teams for an explanation.  
  
"Nothing!" Sam blushed. "That reminds me, Tori wanted me to give you his pep talk."  
  
"If you screw up I'll chuck you off the team," Minako rolled her eyes. "We know!"  
  
"Yeah, whatever," Sam glared at the red haired girl.  
  
Kai slunk away from the main group unnoticed; he disliked training with others and he wanted to test   
the full potential of Dryx's power.   
  
Once he was as far away as he felt necessary he fitted his blade onto his launcher. The familiar warmth   
of Dranzer's red flames coursed through his body with uncertainty as he fired it into the plain training   
dish.  
  
'I know, Dranzer, there's a risk that Dryx will take over my body but it's one I'm willing to take if it'll   
make me stronger.'   
  
Kai's eyes were fixed on his spinning blade; it spun steadily and rapidly, making the edges look like a   
blue blur.   
  
'But I can do better,' Kai thought 'This isn't perfection, it still can be improved.'  
  
Kai continued to stare reproachfully at his blade. Slowly the excitable yells and screams from other   
bladers began to fade into the background. He could concentrate on Dranzer's progress and nothing   
else.  
  
'This is it, Dranzer, Dryx will enhance our skill.'  
  
Kai's vision was definitely changing and then his hearing changed as well, he could now here his heart   
thump right by his ears. Maybe Dryx was altering images by changing the electrical signals that went   
to his brain but that didn't explain why he could hear his heart beating so loudly.   
  
'Is this what Boris meant?' Kai wondered. 'Is this what he meant when he said it could alter human   
consciousness and eliminate all distractions'   
  
But it kept on going from there. Before he could stop it all he could see and was the blade and his heart   
beat. Kai desperately tried to return his senses to normal but he couldn't break free, all he could think of   
was the blade. It was the only think he could concentrate on.   
  
A small growl escaped his lips, how would he get out of this? He felt his energy drain away as he   
struggled to break free.   
  
'Dranzer, what do I do?' Kai asked but no reply came. His head was spinning now; it was spinning as   
fast as Dranzer was.   
  
"Dammit!" Kai yelled as he gritted his teeth, trying not to let the pain show.  
  
"Kai!" Someone was yelling but it was too faint and muffled for him to distinguish who it was. "KAI!"  
It was louder this time, like a streak of light in the darkness it cut through his mind. Kai's eyes widened,   
he looked around in shock to find himself standing at the dish, hi blade still spinning steadily.  
  
"Kai…are you okay?"   
  
Kai blinked at the familiar voice. It was Minako. He nodded, picking up Dranzer he went to sit down   
on one of the benches in the area.  
  
Minako followed him and sat down besides him but, to her surprise, he didn't move away or look the   
least bit annoyed but instead he looked tired.   
  
"You don't look so good," Minako voiced her thoughts. "Are you sick?"  
  
"I'm fine," was the annoyed reply.   
  
"Uh…" Minako stumbled with her words.   
  
"What!?" Kai growled. He was already mentally kicking himself for not being able to control Dryx.   
  
"Um…" Minako was running and tripping on her words, desperately trying to find something to say.   
"Um…about that course," Minako gulped, it was the first thing to pop into her mind. "Well I was   
wondering if…you know, if I could beat the high score you'd perhaps…" she trailed off. There was a   
minute of silence. Minako fidgeted under the intense stillness, looking everywhere except at Kai.   
  
"If you don't have anything to say then go away." Kai ordered.  
  
"Uh…okay…I'll see you later?" Minako rose from her spot and stood in front of Kai, waiting for him   
to return the goodbye but no reply came.   
  
~ Later ~   
  
"Welcome ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls to the English championships! I'm your host, A.J.   
Topper!" A.J. announced as bladers and beyblade fans all poured into the stadium.  
  
"And I'm Brad Best, welcome to the newly constructed Metropolitan stadium here in the heart of   
London!"  
  
Inside the modern stadium the Terrabladers were sitting on the bench, Tori was there too with his eyes   
closed calmly. The Bladebreakers including Kai and White Tigers were sitting amongst the crowds   
watching the match carefully.  
  
"And it's the Terrabladers versus the Singapore Sensei!" A.J. fed the crowd with information. "And it's   
Minako of the Terrabladers up against Benji of the Singapore Sensei!"   
  
"Now let's check out Minako Hoshino!" Brad Best suggested as the profile page appeared on the wide   
screens around the stadium. "With incredible speed her bitbeast Usagi is definitely no Easter bunny!"  
  
"And what about Benji?" A.J. Topper continued where Brad had left off. "He's one mean blader with   
his beast Tytrie he's no push over!"  
  
"Okay, get to the battles already!" Tyson yelled impatiently at the commentators. His wish was soon   
granted as the two bladers took their places at each end of the dish. The area in front of them opened   
and a dark, dingy blading dish rose up between them.   
  
"And it looks like they'll be blading in the spooky Tower of London dish!" A.J. declared.   
"3…2…1…Let it rip!"  
  
They launched their blades into the dish at the same time and immediately clashed against each other.   
Minako's blade kept banging against Benji's light blue blade but she didn't seem to be wearing him   
down, instead she was the one who was loosing speed.  
  
"Pure strength won't win the fight," Benji said sternly.  
  
Minako gritted her teeth together and backed down from attacking. As much as she hated it he was   
right, he had a high defence. She had to find some other way of winning against him.   
  
"Usagi! Earth rain!" Minako commanded. Her rabbit bitbeast arose in an aura of white and black lights.   
It thrust its paws forward and large boulders rained from the sky.   
  
Benji's blade was not fast enough to dodge all of them as it was hit by several boulders and several   
more hit the dish and made its surface uneven and unstable.  
  
"It's wobbling!" Minako exclaimed happily. "Yeah, go for the kill! Earth rain!"  
  
"Tytrie!" Benji yelled for his green jackal to appear. "Tytrie! Dagger claw!"  
  
"Counter it, Dizzy punch!" Minako screamed. The two beasts collided, nothing could be seen for a   
while but when the dust disappeared only one blade were left spinning: Minako's blade.  
  
"Yeah! I won!" Minako scooped up her blade and jumped about happily. She sent a 'thumbs up' sign to   
the spectators and winked cheerfully at her team-mates. Turning her attention back to the crowds she   
searched the stands for Kai. He had his eyes closed and his head was leaning back.  
  
'Don't tell me he slept through my great performance!' Minako mentally whined. He must of felt her   
eyes on him because, at that moment, he opened one crimson eye to glare at her. Minako blushed from   
the embarrassment of being caught staring at him and scampered to the bench.   
  
Kai closed his eyes again. He shouldn't be here; he should have left it to Kenny to record the data   
instead of going along to the stadium when he was already exhausted but no, he had to be stubborn and   
make sure that Kenny didn't leave out any details.   
  
"What a stunning win for the Terrabladers!" Brad smiled. "And it looks like Ami will be up next!"  
  
"She's got one strange technique, I'll give you that," A.J. said "But I guess that makes her pretty   
unpredictable. As for Xiaolang of the Singapore Sensei, now that's a solid blader. His bitbeast Bariel   
will bowl you over!"  
  
"3…2…1…Let it rip!"  
  
Ami launched her blade rather hastily into a woodland blading dish. Her purple and silver blade   
immediately made a bee line for the cover of the forests.  
  
"Why are you hiding? Are you scared?" Xiaolang mocked her.   
  
'Maybe a little,' Ami's mind wanted to confess but she was a professional and professionals didn't   
confess their weaknesses.   
  
"Ami!" Sam stood up and yelled at the blonde haired girl. "You won't win by hiding! Go offensive!"  
  
"Don't worry, you won't be able to hide for long. Bariel, uproot those trees! Air stream!"  
  
The small fake trees moaned in the gale, they bent and snapped under the sheer force, swirling in the   
convection currents before being blasted out of the arena. Ami's blade was now exposed to any attack   
and with nowhere to hide.  
  
"No, don't run! Attack!" Sam tried to convince Ami to fight but Ami was too tied up to pay any   
attention to her team-mate's advice.   
  
"How did you ever get onto a team?" Xiaolang looked at her with disgust. "The Terrabladers must be   
really desperate. Well, then I'll end this, shall I? Air stream!"   
  
"Ara! Burrow!" Ami managed to yell. "Her bitbeast appeared in a flash of purple and dived in the   
ground.  
  
Kai leaned forward to get a better glimpse of the beast. Maybe it was his imagination; maybe his   
memory was still faulty but wasn't that…  
  
"Tarae?" Kai whispered too softly for anyone else to catch.  
  
"No, don't burrow! You're leaving you're blade vulnerable to attacks!" Sam was literally banging her   
head against the nearest wall. "What did I do to deserve this? Why must I have such incompetent fools   
for team-mates?"  
  
The wind attack hit Ami's blade with full force, sending it shooting into Ami's arms. Her beast returned   
to the blade shortly afterwards, knowing that they had been defeated.  
  
"Sorry," Ami apologised as she returned to the bench. "I do this every time, just kick me off already!"  
  
"Not in the middle of a tournament," Tori said sternly.   
  
'Oh, so they're gonna kick me off after the tournament?'  
  
"I'm up," Sam sighed. Bringing out her launcher as she approached the dish.  
  
"It's the final round to decide which team will make their way to the next round! And it's Sam against   
Gloria" A.J. yelled.  
  
"Hey, Tori," Minako whispered. "Do you mind if I sneak out on this one? I promised my mum I'd go   
see her."   
  
Tori sighed and nodded, receiving a grateful smile from Minako. Tori just shrugged as if to say   
"Whatever" and resumed his watch on the match.   
  
~ Minako's mum's house ~  
  
Minako took a deep breath as she stepped up to the blue painted door. How many years had it been   
since she had last saw her mother? Inhaling deeply she pressed the door bell. It opened and a green   
eyed, red head in a skirt and T-shirt beamed at Minako.  
  
"Hello! Guten Täg!" Minako smiled.  
  
"Minako!" the woman smiled and hugged her. Gesturing her to come in. The familiar smell of baking   
and the warmth of a gas fire greeted Minako as she walked in.   
  
"Please, eat something," she offered Minako.  
  
"Err…no thanks." Minako refused as she wandered into the main room. The gas fire was on full blast   
in the room, fluffy carpet tempted Minako to take off her shoes, the TV was off and the piano was   
currently open.  
  
"You've been playing," Minako said, it was more of a statement than a question but her mother either   
didn't notice or chose to take it as a question.  
  
"Yes, I've been doing my own songs," she answered. "I know I'm not very good at it but I think I've   
finally got the hang of it." She sat down at the piano and began to play. Minako made herself   
comfortable by sitting on the sofa, calmly, she leaned back and let the soft cords her mother was   
playing wash over her.   
  
//I'm waiting for you to give me a kiss   
Waiting to make sure you love me  
Waiting for that feeling of bliss  
Am I waiting pointlessly?//  
  
Minako raised her head out of her comfortable position and stared at her mother as if she had never   
seen her before.  
  
//Falling tears, a falling feather  
I'm falling, falling forever  
Falling tears, a falling feather  
I'm falling, falling forever//  
  
How strange that that song was describing the way Minako was feeling when she thought of her love   
life. It wasn't going anywhere, in fact, she was falling rather than flying, she was falling to sorrow and   
despair all because she kept her feelings bottled up inside.   
  
// I tried to soar with torn wings  
But I can't find the strength to fly  
I tried to tell you everything  
But it all comes out a lie//  
  
//Falling tears, a falling feather  
I'm falling, falling forever  
Falling tears, a falling feather  
I'm falling, falling forever//  
  
As she hit the last key, as she sang the very last note she turned and smiled at Minako.   
  
"I'll add more later. So, what do you think?"   
  
"Mum, did you write that for dad?" Minako asked softly. The smile across her face began to fade; she   
suddenly became serious.   
  
"Well I was thinking of him when I wrote this."  
  
"Well, I should go, I have to find out if we won. Tschuss!" Minako excused herself quickly. She didn't   
know why but there was something about that song that made something inside her click. She ran for   
the next bus back to the hotel as if it was the end of the world.  
  
~ Hotel ~  
  
Minako sprinted into the training area, sending apologetic nods at the people she clumsily bumped into   
as she ran.  
  
"Whoa! It's okay, we won!" Sam beamed as she caught Minako by the collar. "Oh, and you'll be   
pleased to know that the White Tigers went through too!"   
  
Minako stopped and panted. Her team-mates were all training again in what looked like another   
obstacle course beydish. She would have stopped and tried it out but she was in a hurry.  
  
"Where's Kai!" Minako almost screamed.  
  
"Oh, I see, you want to so some training with him?" Sam teased.  
  
"This is important!" Minako yelled, almost at the verge of loosing her temperature.  
  
"He's probably training his team for their match tomorrow, he should be somewhere around here,   
probably at the obstacle course we were at before the match," Tori informed her.   
  
"Thanks!" Minako cried and shot of in the direction of the dish, almost tripping over loose stones as   
she ran.  
  
"Wow, what a ditz!" Sam whistled.   
  
Minako ran to the familiar obstacle dish, just as Tori had predicted Kai was standing at his usual   
distance away from the team.  
  
'Dam! Why do the other Bladebreakers have to be here?' Minako whined to herself. 'Wait why am *I*   
here? Was it that song?' Yes, it had to be that song.  
  
//I'm waiting for you to give me a kiss   
Waiting to make sure you love me  
Waiting for that feeling of bliss  
Am I waiting pointlessly?//  
  
That first verse had gotten to her. Was she waiting for nothing? Was she waiting for Kai to make the   
first move? If she was then she was waiting for nothing, she had to be the one to make the first move   
not the other way round.   
  
'What if he doesn't like me? He never seemed to notice me,' Minako said doubtfully. 'Well you never   
know unless you try.' She shook her head and approached the slate haired blader, out of all the stupid   
things she had ever done this one was about to take the pie.   
  
"Kai?" Minako whispered so that the others wouldn't notice her presence. She approached a little   
cautiously, wondering if she had made a will yet. She wasn't as much afraid of Kai as she was nervous;   
she always seemed to screw up when she was around. Kai looked a little better since the last time she   
saw him but his skin was still paler than usual.   
  
Kai opened one eye to shoot an annoyed glare at her.  
  
'RUN! You can still run!' Minako's brain was screaming.   
  
"Kai, I was wonderingifyoucoulddosomethingforme!" Minako blurted it all out.   
  
"In English please," Kai's full attention was on her as she shuffled her feet nervously.   
  
"I was wondering if you'd do something for me?" Minako said bravely, the silences between Kai's   
responses were eating away at her insides.   
  
After a while she realised that Kai was waiting for her to continue, blushing at her foolishness she took   
a deep breath like an adventurer gathering her courage to step into uncharted territory. "If I can finish   
this course in less than twenty seconds," she indicated the obstacle course the Bladebreakers were   
training with. "If I can finish in less than twenty seconds than would you do something for me? Would   
you…" She took another deep breath, using all her strength to barely utter the next few words.   
"W…Would you…give me my first kiss?"  
  
Minako was ready to it herself because just as she said the last part of her sentence everything seemed   
to go quiet so everyone could hear her request.   
  
"Wow, Minako…" Max whistled. Behind him Tyson was drawing his finger across his neck as if to   
say: "Wrong move!"  
  
There was more awkward silence between Minako, Kai and the rest of the Bladebreakers. All eyes   
were on Kai, waiting for his answer.  
  
'Did she just ask for a kiss?' Kai's brain was moving a mile a minute. 'I was never trained for this. What   
am I supposed to say? Should I agree, no why should I? Kisses are spawned from emotion and   
emotions will just make me weak.'  
  
"Are you serious about beyblading?" Kai glared at Minako. "You should always strive to beat the   
records because you want to be strong not because you can get a prize out of it!" Kai gave her one last   
glare as he walked off.   
  
'Well, today you've just run out on your mum, made a fool of yourself and what else? Oh yeah, Kai   
who will now stay as far away from you as possible just rejected you! Way to go Mina!" Her brain said   
with malicious sarcasm.   
  
"Yep," Minako sighed. "This one *definitely* takes the pie"  
  
****************  
  
Mizu_Tenshi: Don't kill me! I was gonna have him say yes and then Minako would fail the course but   
then I thought that that would be out of character. Sorry about the slow update but I've been really   
busy. Where are all my reviewers too!? Come back people! R&R PLEEAASSEE!  
  
Anime4u2 - Uh, sure it looks like a R/M but I'm not assuring that and I ain't updating it till I get loads   
of reviews so please, tell the world to come and review!  
  
By the Stars - Sure! I'll leave it whenever you update again. Thanks for your reviews; they cheered me   
up a load. Oh, you like Escaflowne, right? Well can you guess where that bit of my story was from?   
  
starwolf - I know it's so horrible! I have to get a bodyguard. Thanks for the support; I need it. AHH! It's   
the pencils!  
  
heather - Okay, maybe that was confusing, I hope this cleared it up. He can still use Dranzer but Dryx   
enhances their power and stuff. I know, I know, the last part was a disgrace but it was the best I could   
do, this is so hard!  
  
Anime the Fallen Angel - Yay! Someone out there likes it! Don't worry I won't hurt Kai too much!   
What do you think about the ending? I have no idea how I'm gonna get the together. 


	11. Revelations

Mizu_Tenshi: This is getting so hard, I need help people! I need ideas or at least a few extra reviews.   
Well I'm not updating until I get more reviews.  
  
"..." Speech  
'…' Thought  
*…* Implied words  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own Beyblade   
  
'You're giving your love to her, but before you light up her face. Let me have a small piece, to hold in   
my sweet embrace.'  
**********************  
  
Chapter 11: Revelations  
  
"Minako? Are you okay?"   
  
Minako looked up at Tyson, shaking her head to rid herself of her rejection she put on a fake smile and   
cheerful attitude. "Sure! You can't have everything can you? Moping about won't do any good," she   
replied with very Max-like cheerfulness. Secretly she wished she could believe her own words and not   
feel so depressed but when you had just made a fool out of yourself in front of a load of guys what else   
could you feel?   
  
"Hey, Kai's gone…does that mean training's over?" Max asked uncertainly.  
  
"It does to me," Tyson grinned. "I'm gonna get something to eat, you wanna come Minako?"  
  
"Nah," Minako smiled. "I've got stuff to do, you boys go ahead."  
  
"Well I have some more data to find," Kenny informed them.  
  
"And I want to find Mariah and congratulate her on their win," Ray said as he wandered away from the   
main group.  
  
"Fine, it's just me and Max then," Tyson huffed.  
  
Slowly everyone drifted away from the main area, everyone except Minako. She gave a small glance at   
the obstacle course pondering what she should do.  
  
After some slight deliberation she lifted her launcher and fired it into the bowl. The blade instantly   
sped through the course as the timer ticked down the seconds.  
  
"Right! Now left!" Minako ordered with grim determination. The blade approached the end where the   
red block would pop up again; she dared to glance at the timer. It was on fifteen seconds, as long as she   
didn't screw it up she would be able to beat the record.   
  
As she predicted the block popped up but this time she was ready for it. Instead of turning sharply to   
avoid the block like most people did her blade had built up momentum to jump over it.   
  
"No!" Minako screamed as she saw what would happen to her blade but it was too late. The blade had   
jumped improperly, it just missed the track and fell on the floor but it was still spinning.   
  
Minako ordered the blade to return to her hand, the bit chip flashed apologetically.   
  
"It's not your fault," Minako murmured to the blade. "It's me that's wrong, no wonder Kai doesn't   
respect me no *serious* professional would misjudge the jump like that. I've been so immature,   
treating this whole blading thing as a joke, just an excuse for me not to go to school." Minako took a   
deep breath. She had to make things right. From know on she vowed she would stop being so self-  
indulgent and irresponsible and really pull herself together, maybe then Kai would, of not love her,   
then at least respect her.  
  
~ With the Terrabladers ~  
  
Tori was surveying Sam's blade as she gave him a display of her technique and skill. He scanned the   
blade's performance down to the way it spun and how its speed dropped when she called her beast out.   
Though he had a rather good eye for the markings of an improved blade what he really needed was   
Ami with her laptop and computer know-how but she was nowhere around.  
  
"Stop," Tori ordered. "It looks like you're doing fine but I can't was that for sure without Ami to give   
me a proper scan down on your blade."  
  
"Ami!" Sam snorted as she pocketed her blade. "How did I ever draw with her? You saw her terrible   
performance today, right? I don't want to be mean but maybe we should find a replacement; she's too   
scared of her opponents to fight them and her skill and strategy is totally based on defence."  
  
"Amy has a lot of skill," Tori replied frankly. "She also has excellent strategy but she lacks confidence   
and correct motivation."  
  
"Are you saying that it's *my* fault for not encouraging her enough?" Sam looked at Tori ludicrously.   
  
"I'm not accusing you of anything."  
  
"Yes you are!" Sam pointed her finger straight at him. "Hmph! I work hard training the team while   
you're out of action and this is what I get! I don't hear you thanking me or giving *me* a compliment!"  
  
Tori smirked at her anger. "Are you jealous that I gave Ami a compliment and not you?" He asked with   
a bemused smile.   
  
"Well…" Sam faltered. "Well you're always seem really lenient with Ami and not with me so I thought   
maybe you're…well…keeping her on the team for other reasons than just her computer knowledge."  
  
"Wait," Tori caught on. "You don't think I have a thing for Ami, do you?" Sam looked away ashamedly   
at her accusation. Tori smirked at the absurdity. "Sam, if I liked Ami would I do this?" Tori bent down   
and pressed his lips against her own.   
  
In the distance Ami looked at the two lovebirds with silent longing. She had just emerged from the   
inside of the building to catch the sight of them kissing. Everyone seemed to be finding love except for   
her. Though part of her mind was slightly amused at the closeness between Tori and Sam it was   
consumed by her yearning for a relationship like theirs.   
  
~ Later ~  
  
The three teams had gathered in the Bladebreaker's hotel room to celebrate the victory of the White   
Tigers and the Terrabladers. Pizza boxes, noodle boxes, champagne, tea and juice occupied nearly   
every free space. Everyone was chatting except Kai who just stood in his usual position and Tyson and   
Gary who were too busy eating. The other teams watched in wonder as Tyson and Gary wolfed down   
their tenth pizza.  
  
"Um…" Tori began, holding a box of noodles in one hand. "So none of this seems odd to you?"  
  
"Hey, he's only getting started!" Max said proudly.  
  
"Can a normal human eat that much?" Sam wondered.   
  
While the happy conversations were going on Kai leaned against the wall; his eyes were fixed on Ami.   
He needed to see her battle again to confirm his suspicions but the only times he had seen her fight was   
in the tournament, every other time she was typing on that stupid laptop of hers.  
  
His thoughts were cut through by the high pitched sound of glass breaking.  
  
"Tyson!" Kenny yelled.   
  
"Sorry, chief," Tyson scratched the back of his head apologetically. "It was an accident!"  
  
"Tyson, go clean it up," Ray ordered.   
  
"Okay, okay, yeesh, you're turning into another Kai!" Tyson grumbled as he went to fetch a dustpan   
and brush.  
  
Kai ignored the blue haired boy's comments.  
  
'Idiot,' he thought grumpily. Why had Tyson decided to use his room for the party? Kai craved peace   
and quiet especially with Dryx attacking his nerves as well as his strength. He knew he was getting   
paler and weaker by the day, he got exhausted much faster and he was loosing quite a bit of weight too.   
  
He wasn't the only one to notice these changes. Tori Sam and Minako all saw his agitated mood but   
none of them voiced their thoughts to the other.   
  
~ Evening ~  
  
Finally the party was over and they all dispersed in different directions to either bed down for the night   
or do their own individual thing.   
  
'Finally,' Kai thought, some peace and quiet. He must of spoken of thought too soon because he found   
himself face to face with Tori.   
  
"The party is over, you can't stay here," Kai said bluntly.   
  
"C'mon Kai, is that how you treat your long lost older brother?" Tori smirked.  
  
"Whatever," Kai tried to close the door on him but Tori darted through the door as it slammed shut.   
  
"You ill or something?" Tori persisted.  
  
Kai just growled at Tori, he really wanted to get some sleep. Why couldn't that annoying blader just   
leave his hotel room?  
  
"Ill right before your big match, I guess you must be pretty frustrated. Maybe you just don't want   
people to think you're weak."  
  
"At least I don't go snooping around Biovolt and ending up in hospital," Kai muttered before he could   
top himself.  
  
"How did you know I went to Biovolt?" Tori's crimson eyes narrowed suspiciously.   
  
"It's the only place you would have gone," Kai tried to cover up his mistake.  
  
If Tori noticed the lie he didn't say anymore on the subject.  
  
Kai refrained from rubbing his aching temples. Dryx was really pushing him and attacking him   
relentlessly. He was loosing to it, there was no point in denying it; he was loosing a battle against the   
thing inside of him. His logic told him he had to get rid of it but that would taint his pride, he could   
never back down from a fight nor could he give up such power.  
  
This time Tori noticed Kai's exasperation. He was inwardly concerned but the look didn't grace his   
calm features.   
  
'Hell, I need to recover my strength, just go away dammit!' Kai wanted to shout. He could feel Dryx   
getting stronger. His nerves were grinding with exhaustion until they seemed like he was going to snap.   
He closed his eyes to help steady his indifferent composure. Dryx was taking over and it would take   
only one more thing to make Kai he let go.  
  
"Kai, what the hell is wrong with you?" Tori asked as he advanced.  
  
Kai lost his grasp on his body. He let go.  
  
~ By the training area ~  
  
Ami sat by the different dishes typing away at her laptop when Kenny and Ray approached her.  
  
"What are you two doing here?" She asked without looking up into their faces. She didn't think she   
was ready to look Ray in the eye right now. As she spoke her insides were squirming with nervousness.  
  
"I was going to examine Ray's blading before our big match tomorrow, how about a friendly match   
between you two?" Kenny suggested.  
  
Ami frowned at the brown haired boy's offer. If she fought they could examine her blade and prepare   
themselves if they had to fight against them.  
  
"C'mon, it's just for fun," Ray tried to persuade her. "You get to examine my blade too."  
  
'Blade data for blade data, it's a fair trade,' Ami mulled it over. Finally she nodded, how could she say   
no?   
  
They took their positions at each end of a regular dish, each one held up their launcher in their own   
stance.  
  
'God, why did I ever agree to this? I hate blading!' Ami's mind was screaming. 'Every time I blade I   
seem to fall into another world where all I can see and hear is the battle and nothing else. It's scary; I   
don' want to feel that sensation.' (A.N. She's talking about the same thing Kai went through)   
  
It was too late for her to back down. Kenny had already started the countdown.   
"3…2…1…Let it rip!"  
  
~ Hotel room ~  
  
Dryx took control, secretly celebrating the control it had yearned and fought for. It was definitely an   
excellent body to take over.  
  
"Well?" Tori raised an eyebrow.  
  
Kai/Dryx sent a punch flying straight at Tori's face. Tori wasn't expecting it but he managed to block   
the blow just in time.  
  
"What the fuck was that for Kai?" Tori yelled. "If you wanted me to leave that badly you could have   
just said so."   
  
Kai/Dryx let out a small growl. His eyes snapped open to reveal golden eyes instead of crimson ones.  
  
Tori let out another stream of shocked curses. This wasn't the little brother he used to know, was it?  
  
"No, it's Kai, but the other thing isn't,' Tori's mind said.   
  
Another punch was thrown at Tori with all the strength Dryx was saving. This time Tori didn't deflect   
it, the punch landed squarely on his face, sending Tori flying back.  
  
"I don't know what's going on," Tori said as he got up, wiping a little blood from his mouth. "But   
whatever the hell you are get out of my brother's body!"  
  
"Why? He let me in willingly," the thing replied through Kai's mouth.  
  
Tori didn't want to hurt Kai but he had to defend himself against whatever the thing was.   
  
Kai/Dryx attacked again, this time faster and more aggressively. Tori staggered back as each one hit   
him around the chest area. He couldn't fight very well while he was still injured but he could still block   
fairly successfully.  
  
'Crap, I'm not on top fighting form, I'm gonna get slaughtered unless Kai snaps out of it soon!'  
  
~ The training area ~  
  
The two dishes clashed in the middle. Ami was struggling to stop herself from running away, she   
didn't want to make a fool of herself in front of Ray but battling was something that scared her.  
  
"Drigger, we've got her now!" Ray yelled for an attack.  
  
"Ara! Burrow!" Ami yelled instinctively.  
  
'No, don't burrow, you're leaving your blade vulnerable to attacks!'   
  
"Stop!" Ami cancelled the move as Drigger's claws came slashing down on her blade. It wobbled   
dangerously but still kept spinning.  
  
"Just one more time!" Ray urged his beast to attack again.  
  
"Boulder ball!" Ami yelled. Her snake beast emerged from the blade and curled into a ball.  
  
He two beasts clashed again as claw struck the rocky hide of her beast's attack.   
  
Smoke erupted from the dish but when it cleared only one blade was spinning: Ray's blade.  
  
~ The hotel room ~  
  
Tori blocked another kick for the hundredth time. He knew he couldn't keep doing this, he was hurt all   
over and slowly loosing energy while the thing was relentless in its attacks.  
  
"Crap, this is gonna sound sappy but you gotta fight it, Kai!" Tori yelled.  
  
Kai/Dryx only offered Tori a smirk for his efforts.  
  
"Hey, what's with all the noise?"   
  
Tori dared to glance around at the intruder. Mistake. Kai/Dryx took the opportunity to kick him in the   
stomach.  
  
"What's going on?" Minako gasped. She had heard the noise coming from Kai's room but she had   
never imagined it to be Kai. Then she noticed the golden eyes instead of his normal blood red ones.   
  
"That's not Kai," Tori explained as he struggled to his feet.   
  
"I see," Minako said, unusually stern and determined. "Tori, you shouldn't be fighting, you just got out   
of hospital, let me!"  
  
"Minako! Don't be a fool, get Sam or something!" Tori yelled.   
  
Minako was about to reply when she felt something hard connect with her gut.  
  
'Crap that hurt!' Her mind moaned as she keeled over.   
  
Kai/Dryx approached to attack her again; pure malice glinted in those golden eyes.  
  
"KAI!" Minako screamed.  
  
"Huh?" Kai's eyes widened, they turned back to garnet red. Exhaustion and pain finally crept back in   
and he passed out.   
  
~ The training area ~  
  
Ami bent down and scooped up her blade.  
  
"It's okay, you did your best," Ami reassured her beast.  
  
"Hey, great battle," Ray smiled and offered her a hand. "You were close too."  
  
Ami accepted the hand nervously.   
  
"You have a great technique, Ami!" Kenny complimented her.  
  
"It was nothing, I still lost," Ami blushed, she wasn't used to such compliments when she had clearly   
failed.  
  
Above the happy scene, unbeknownst to the three teens a pair of watchful eyes looked down on them.   
  
"Yes, we've found Tarae, it's occupied in purple blade belonging to one Ami Kagami," the pair of eyes   
rasped down a walkie-talkie.   
  
"We'll proceed in taking it tomorrow."  
  
~ The hotel room ~  
  
"Shall we tell his team-mates about this?" Minako asked quietly, not taking her eyes off the figure that   
now lay in bed. She marvelled at the serene aura around him when he was sleeping. How could anyone   
look so calm when they had a monster living inside them?  
  
"There's no need," Tori decided. "They don't have to now yet and I don't imagine Kai would want   
them to know."  
  
"What was that thing? It had golden eyes, it was creepy," Minako shuddered.  
  
"I don't know but I'll find out tomorrow, I imagine this is another one of Biovolt's crazy experiments."  
  
"Biovolt?"   
  
Tori explained to the red haired girl about Biovolt and their intention to take over the world.  
  
"That's stupid, how can anyone take over the world?" Minako smirked at the absurdity.   
  
"Well Biovolt is stupid…Minako," Tori changed the subject. "Did you notice how he changed back   
when you called his name?"  
  
Minako stifled a laugh. "What are you suggesting? I think Kai hates me more than Tyson," she frowned   
at her last comment.   
  
"We better go now, don't worry about Kai, he'll be fine."  
  
Minako took the advice of her leader and they left together.  
  
"Night Tori," Minako smiled. "You'll be okay, right? He didn't hurt you too badly."  
  
"Whatever," Tori smirked.   
  
Once inside Tori made a beeline straight for the bathroom. Underneath the sink was a small cabinet   
that held the medical supplies. He was mostly covered in bruises but there were some parts that would   
need bandaging.   
  
Tori returned to the main room, Sam wasn't there yet so he slipped off his shirt and began bandaging   
his waist. (A.N. So a boy and a girl sharing a room may sound sick but they're not sharing a bed or   
anything so that should be okay with most people.)  
  
"Tori, there you are I –" Sam stopped dead in her tracks. She stared at Tori in shock. He had his shirt   
off but that wasn't why she was shocked, she had seen him shirtless before. (A.N. That sounded   
perverted but it's not what it sounds like. Who hasn't seen a boy shirtless?)  
  
What caused her so much shock were the four blue triangles on his stomach.   
  
"Ah…" Tori began. It looked like he had some explaining to do.  
  
********************  
  
Mizu_Tenshi: I really need more reviews. Oh and please check out my 'Somewhere I belong' story as   
well.   
  
kimpster - I think so too! Cute!   
  
Fireglow - Yeah it would have been OOC so I decided not to do the kiss. I tore me apart!  
  
heather - Good, I hope this wasn't too confusing. I have a very crazy mind! R&R!  
  
By the Stars - Thanks, your reviews are really appreciated. Please update your fic soon!  
  
Anime the Fallen Angel - Mmmm chocolate! Thanks, now I gotta hide it before my brother finds it!  
  
yinyangqueen - Thanks, as you can see I'm desperate for reviews.   
  
starwolf - Well loads of Tori today. Poor Kai, maybe I shouldn't have tortured him so much. 


	12. Call my name

Mizu_Tenshi: Here I am again and thanks to all my reviewers for their support. C'mon I'm trying to   
get to a hundred!   
  
"…" Speech  
'…' Thought  
*…* Implied words  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own this anime  
  
'The burning feeling, lurking in the unknown. The burning feeling, knowing that you're not alone'  
*************************  
  
Chapter 11: Call my name  
"Sam, calm down," Tori tried to stop the surprised girl from creating too much of a racket.   
  
"Calm down? Tori, what the hell are those?" Sam nearly screamed.  
  
"Do you remember that time I ended up in hospital and I told you about Biovolt?"  
  
"Yes," Sam nodded cautiously.  
  
"Well…" Tori chose how to phrase his next sentences. "These triangles are the mark of Biovolt, it's   
kinda like a label which marks you as Biovolt property."  
  
"What?!" Sam cried furiously. "People aren't property, people are…people! So that's what those   
triangles on Kai's face mean. Tori I'm really sorry, can we take them off?"  
  
Tori shook his head.   
  
"Well if it means anything they do like kinda cool," Sam giggled.  
  
Tori rolled his eyes at the brunette standing in front of him. "Just go to sleep and I'll pretend I didn't   
hear that."  
  
~ The next morning ~  
  
Kai groaned; it felt as if an elephant had hit him. His head was still spinning from the night before. The   
night before…  
  
"Shit!" Kai almost jumped out of bed despite his lack of energy. He was glad Ray had already left for   
training so no one heard him cursing. He was getting up later everyday, now even Tyson was up earlier   
than he was.   
  
Kai mind replayed the events up to the point he had lost control. Tori and Minako had been there to see   
him go crazy, what would they think? Would they tell anyone else?  
  
It was a little scary to loose possession of your body, to not be able to do the things you wanted to, to   
move like a puppet on a string. Everything had been black; he could only hear the faint sounds of the   
outside while he was trapped inside the cage of his own body but then something had happened. He   
heard someone calling him back. That was all he remembered.  
  
Kai sighed and shook his head, he was silently furious for letting Dryx take over. It wouldn't happen   
again, even if he had to train harder and longer then he ever had before.  
  
"Kai?" Minako's voice came through the closed hotel door.   
  
'Great, all I need is some annoying girl who thinks I'm a monster to ask me annoying questions.'  
  
"Kai, I brought you breakfast," Minako's head peeked round the corner of the door. Slowly she nudged   
it open and came in bearing a tray with a glass of juice and some sandwiches. It was a pretty meagre   
meal but it would do.  
  
"I'd rather not, I'm not hungry," Kai lied. He was starving, he hadn't eaten in what seemed like years   
but he refused any charity that was offered to him.  
  
"You have to eat," Minako insisted. "You have a match today and you need your strength to battle."  
  
Kai glared at the red haired girl but he nodded, maybe this would get her to go away. Minako placed   
the tray on his bedside table and then took a seat on Ray's bed.  
  
"Are you just gonna stare at me all day?" Kai asked a little annoyed.  
  
"I got nothing else to do!" Minako giggled.  
  
Kai just rolled his eyes and took a bite out of a chicken sandwich. He savoured the taste of food, it   
didn't have a strong flavour but it was healthy and it satisfied his hunger.  
  
"Kai, what is that thing inside of you?"  
  
'Great, she's asking questions,' Kai's mind groaned.  
  
"It's nothing," Kai denied but he knew that Minako would not believe him.  
  
"Please, I'm not that stupid, it had golden eyes for crying out loud!" Minako put her hands on her hips   
stubbornly, showing Kai that she wouldn't leave him alone without answers. "Kai, I want to know   
what's going on, you were really hurting Tori, especially since he hasn't recovered yet."  
  
"It's none of your business!" Kai snapped.  
  
"Well you were about to hit me yesterday, I at least deserve an explanation for that!" Minako replied   
hotly.   
  
There was a long pause of silence; it seemed to last hours. Finally Minako realised that Kai was being   
as stubborn as she was, one of them had to give in. She decided it would be her.  
  
"Kai, I wish you'd trust me more," Minako edged closer to the slate haired boy. "If you need me just   
call my name."   
  
'What? She's willing to help, I thought a ditz like her would think that I was a monster…maybe I am,'  
  
"Minako," Kai's stern voice caused her to stop in her tracks. "Its name is Dryx."  
  
Minako waited for Kai to keep going but he didn't say anymore.  
  
'So this is all I can get out of him? Well it's better than nothing I suppose.'  
  
"This never happened, okay?" Kai glared at her. "You don't know anything."  
  
"I understand," Minako whispered.   
  
'Dryx…that's the name of whatever is inside Kai, well I'm gonna get to the bottom of this!'  
  
~ Stadium ~   
  
"Annnnddd we're here at the Metropolitan Stadium on the second day of the tournament!" A.J. Topper   
yelled through the microphone.   
  
"This time it's the Bladebreakers up first against Element Guardians!" Brad Best said. "Looks like the   
two leaders are clashing first."  
  
"O.K time to analyse the bladers," A.J. said as the statistic chart popped up onto the wide-screen. "Kai   
Hiwatari, the Bladebreaker leader, he's one mean blader with his bitbeast Dranzer he's definitely on   
fire!"  
  
"But don't forget about Jason Gotliff, the Elemental Guardian leader. His bitbeast Jaws is one giant   
shark not to mention that he has an elemental advantage over Kai." A.J. shouted as the dish rose from   
the ground. It was the basic training dish but with a small river cutting straight across the dish with   
buildings on each side. "And it looks like the two contestants will be battling along the river Thames!"   
  
"3…2…1…Let it rip!"  
  
Kai used what was left of his strength to launch his blade into the dish. The two blades ended up on   
either side of the dish, divided by the water. Since the stretch of water was too wide to jump the only   
possible way to attack was with their bitbeasts.  
  
Kai remembered Dryx's power as, once again, the sound of cheering fans became muffled and slowly   
faded into the distance. His eyes locked onto the dish; his heartbeat seemed to reach a crescendo with   
each steady beat.   
  
"Jaws! Dive into the water!" Jason yelled. His blue shark beast rose from the blade and jumped into the   
river, hiding itself in the stream.  
  
"Whoa, Kai's in real trouble if he can't see where his opponent's beast is!" Brad Best commentated.  
  
Kai concentrated on the river. What were they talking about? He could see the ripples in the water that   
marked out where Jaws was hiding or maybe he could only see because he had Dryx.  
  
"Okay, now attack!" The shark leaped out of the water but Kai knew where it was coming from and   
dodged it just in time.  
  
"Dranzer!" Kai ordered his beast to emerge from the blade. "It's right there, go fish it out!" Kai pointed   
to a portion of water.   
  
"What!?" Jason cried in disbelief.   
  
The red phoenix flew above the water and then plunged its talons in, grasping the shark it pulled it out   
of the water.  
  
"Whoa! That's unbelievable!" A.J. cried above the roaring crowd. "How did he know where it was? Is   
he psychic?"   
  
"Dranzer!" Kai ordered the attack. The phoenix flew over the river to Jason's side of the dish and   
dropped the flailing shark onto the blade. The impact sent the blade flying out of the dish.   
  
"Wow! What a spectacular win for Kai!" A.J. was practically jumping up and down.  
  
"Kai, that was amazing!" Tyson jumped up as Kai returned to the bench. "How did you know where   
the shark was?"  
  
"When it swims it creates ripples in the water," Kai explained.  
  
"But that's impossible," Kenny began typing on his laptop. "You'd have to have eyes of a hawk to   
detect something so minor at such a distance!"  
  
'Or just good sight and concentration with no distractions,' Kai thought but didn't answer Kenny. That   
battle had taken a lot out of him, he was still tired and desperately needed to sleep.   
  
In the stands the White Tigers and Terrabladers were also watching.  
  
"Now that was something!" Kevin whistled.  
  
"Pipe down, Kevin," Mariah scolded the little White Tiger. "Ray's up next and I wanna see how this   
goes!"  
  
A small distance away from the Chinese team sat the Terrabladers. Tori and Minako exchanged a   
suspicious glance at Kai's performance.   
  
"I need a laptop to hack into Biovolt," Minako whispered to Tori. "Or, more precisely Kenny's laptop   
since that's the only one fast enough to get into the security system undetected."  
  
"Since when did you know so much about laptops?" Tori raised an eyebrow.   
  
"Well when you hang around Ami long enough you pick these things up," Minako said proudly.  
  
"I don't want to ask, that would be suspicious," Tori frowned. "I have an idea…" An evil smirk crossed   
his face.  
  
"You're not thinking about stealing, are you?" Minako gasped. "How are you gonna get close enough   
to steal it? He carries it everywhere!"  
  
"You'll see," Tori continued to smirk evilly.   
  
~ Later ~  
  
"No!" Ami yelled, crossing her arms defiantly. "I don't care what you need it for, I won't do it!"  
  
"C'mon, Ami!" Minako whined. "We're friends aren't we?"  
  
"I don't care!"  
  
"I'll cry!" Minako threatened.  
  
"Yeah, right," Ami muttered. Minako began to sniff as tears formed in her eyes and she let out a   
shrieking wail that made everyone around them stare. "All right, just shut up!" Ami gave in, covering   
her ears with her hands.  
  
"Yay!" Minako exclaimed as she wiped away fake tears. "See? Friends forever!"  
  
Ami just sighed and rolled her eyes. This was going to be embarrassing.  
  
~ Hotel room ~  
  
Kenny continued to type on his laptop while the others, with exception of Kai, went to celebrate their   
victory over the Elemental Guardians.   
  
He just couldn't figure out what had made Kai's stats improve so drastically. It couldn't be the   
improvements on the blade he had made before the tournament so what was it?   
  
"Hey, don't you think we should take a break?" Dizzi's voice rang from out of the laptop. "My hard   
drive is gonna overload!"  
  
"Fine," Kenny sighed, closing the laptop. He was about to put it into his bag when someone knocked   
on the door. "Come in!"  
  
"Kenny!' Ami smiled sweetly, she was clutching her own, identical laptop. She placed her own laptop   
on the desk next to Kenny's.  
  
"Ami? What are you ding here?" Kenny asked.  
  
"Well…" Ami's mind raced for an excuse. "Well I'm all out of blading parts so I wondered if I could   
borrow some of yours, it's an emergency."  
  
"Sure, there's some in this drawer," Kenny stood up to make room for Ami, or rather he tried to stand   
up because Ami placed her foot behind him and he tripped.   
  
Instinctively, he grabbed the first stable thing to help him stay straight. The first stable thing happened   
to be Ami.   
  
As they both fell Ami's arm swept the two laptops off the desk and they all came crashing down with a   
loud thud.  
  
"Ow," Kenny groaned. He tried to get up but something pinned him to the ground. That something was   
Ami's groaning body on top of him. (A.N. I know it sounds perverted but it's necessary.)  
  
Ami must have realised this two because she quickly jumped off, muttering apologies to Kenny.  
  
"It's okay," Kenny reassured her.   
  
"Well thanks anyway," Ami bent down and picked up a laptop off the floor. "See you later!"  
  
"Wait! What about those parts?" Kenny yelled but she didn't hear him.  
  
"Did you get it?" Minako asked impatiently as Ami rounded the corner.  
  
"Never will I do that again!" Ami replied hotly. "Yes, I did get the stupid laptop," Ami handed her the   
laptop.  
  
~ Terrabladers hotel room ~   
  
"I'll scream!" Dizzi threatened.  
  
"You do that and I'll screw with your hard drive," Minako warned the talkative laptop.  
  
"No listen, I want you to hack into Biovolt's security system and find any files related to Dryx," Tori   
ordered.   
  
The two Terrabladers sat round Dizzi in their hotel room while she grudgingly got to work.  
  
Minutes passed to hours and hours seemed to drag away at their hearts; it was dark in no time. Minako   
got impatient and began pacing around he room, watching the odd fly or just doodling on her notebook.   
  
"This is boring! Can't that hunk of junk go any faster?" Minako whined as she rolled across her bed.  
  
"It's looking," Tori assured her.   
  
Minako just huffed and began humming a tune she dug up from the archives of her brain.  
  
As she hummed her little doodles formed words on her paper and she continued to write whatever   
came into her brain.  
  
"Here!" Tori's voice alerted her.   
  
Minako scrambled off the bed rather clumsily. On Dizzi's screen was a single open file. The two   
bladers read the file in silence.  
  
~ Outside ~  
  
Above the rooftop of the hotel a pair of dark brown eyes watched a certain blonde haired girl walk   
underneath his gaze. He carefully unsheathed a dagger, making sure he made no sound he crept   
forwards to prepare to pounce on her.   
  
"How embarrassing!" Ami went bright red at the memory. "I never want to do that again!"  
  
The man got ready to clamp a gloved hand over her mouth so she wouldn't scream. He had to time his   
attack perfectly or his cover would be blown.   
  
"1…2…3…" The man was about to pounce when he heard more voices approach. He silently cursed   
his bad luck, he would just have to try again another time. Unnoticed by the group below, the man   
slipped into the darkness.  
  
"Ami," Kenny panted, it looked like he had been running around looking for her. "Ami, I think you   
have Dizzi."  
  
Ami gulped. "Err…well…what makes you say that?" Ami tried to look innocent.  
  
"You must have picked up the wrong one when…" Kenny trailed off, bushing scarlet.   
  
"Sorry, I'll give her back," Ami prayed her team-mates were done with the laptop.  
  
**********************  
  
Mizu_Tenshi: Sorry if that sounded boring or perverted, it wasn't meant to be but I've been very busy   
rewriting the three chapters that were DELETED from my other story for some strange reason.  
  
yinyangqueen - Thanks, don't worry I get hyper too.  
  
Lavender - Yeah I think the Kai/Minako pairing is cute too! I hope you found this fic okay, please   
R&R!  
  
Sakura88 - Thanks for the review, I'm trying to get a better summery up too.   
  
heather - I hope that chapter explained it and if not you can always skip back to the 'blue triangles'   
chapter  
  
By the Stars - Thanks, I hope you update your fic soon.  
  
starwolf - Yeah maybe I'm too mean to Kai.   
  
kimpster - I'm trying to get some K/M in but it's so hard to do it and not make Kai OOC don't worry he   
won't be going OOC  
  
Anime the Fallen Angel - Ooh crackers! *Eats them * let's see my brother try and get them now! 


	13. The danger inside

Mizu_Tenshi: I really need more reviewers. They seem to have all disappeared especially the people   
who reviewed my 'Somewhere I belong' fic. Where did everyone go? Hello? Is anyone there? *Tumble   
weed roles by* Dam!  
  
"…" Speech  
'…' Thought  
*…* Implied words  
  
'You can't get me down I won't buy it. Won't do what you want me to so don't try it.'  
*********************  
  
Chapter 12: The danger inside  
Ami basked in the warm sunlight that filtered into her room, she typed softly on her own laptop for any   
data on the opposing teams. It was another day and another match for her to make a fool out of herself.  
  
"Crap! I'm late!" Minako practically leaped out of bed.  
  
"Calm down," Ami stifled as laugh as she swivelled her chair round to watch the panicking teen. "It's   
only six o'clock, we have a good hour and a half before the match."  
  
"Oh," Minako blushed at her foolishness.   
  
"Tori called earlier," Ami muttered with obvious boredom as she went back to idly clicking through   
names of teams. "He said he wants you to go train as soon as you finish eating breakfast."  
  
"And what about you?" Minako put her hands on her hips.   
  
"I'm to continue searching for information," Ami sighed.  
  
"Huh? You don't have to train? You're so lucky," Minako looked at the blonde girl with envy. "Well I   
don't want to keep the great Tori waiting," Minako smirked. "I'll see you at the match!"  
  
Ami waited for the sound of the door to shut before she shut down her laptop and packed it up. It was   
so dull to scroll through so many names and she had been at it for hours, she deserved a decent break.  
  
A faint knocking on the door made Ami sigh. She guessed it would be either Tori or Sam since Minako   
usually pounded on the door, maybe they had come to tell her she was off the team.  
  
'Since when did I become such a pessimist?' Ami wondered as she opened the door.  
  
It wasn't Tori or Sam; it wasn't even Minako, instead there were two very important looking men in   
black suits.   
  
"Ami Kagami? Come with us," they ordered. The two men grabbed her before she had a chance to   
react. A damp white cloth was placed over her mouth and nose.  
  
Ami's eyes drifted shut; her body fell limp into the arms of one of the men.  
  
"Where's Tarae?" One of the two men grunted to the other.   
  
"It's here, in her pocket," the other person produced the purple and silver blade.   
  
"C'mon, Mr Hiwatari wants the girl as well."   
  
~ At the stadium ~  
  
Once again the Metropolitan stadium was filed with the exciting roar of crowds and the flying banners   
of die-hard fans. The sound was deafening but also exhilarating for the competitors below.  
  
"Welcome back folks to the third exciting day of the English tournament, I'm you host Brad Best!"  
  
"And I'm A.J. Topper," the second commentator introduced. "It's the Blitz babes against the   
Terrabladers!"  
  
"Yes but what's this? The Terrabladers seem to be short of a few members!"  
  
On the bench Tori and Sam were sitting in silence, their expressions seemed very different but beneath   
the mask they put on they were both worried.  
  
"They'll be disqualified if the others don't turn up," Li looked on from the spectator row.  
  
"According to Dizzi, the Blitz babes have quite a good reputation here in England," Kenny said as he   
typed on his laptop. "This will be an interesting match…that is, if the others can turn up."  
  
"Yeah, Kai doesn't know what he's missing," Tyson smirked.   
  
Besides Tyson sat Mariah with her hands on her lap as usual. She leaned over o Ray who was sitting   
next to her and whispered: "I need to talk to you."  
  
"Sorry I'm late!" Minako almost tripped as she ran, gasping for air.  
  
"Mina, you stupid ditz, it's about time!" Sam yelled furiously. "The match is about to start and we can't   
go on without three players! Get a watch you idiot!"  
  
"Hey, I'm here, aren't I?" Minako defended herself from the insults she was receiving.  
  
"Now all we have to do is wait for Ami," Tori frowned. "It's not like her to be late, I'm sure she   
wouldn't forget."  
  
"She's another one!" Sam growled. "She can't blade, she can't get here on time, we should just drop   
her!"   
  
Minako winced at Sam's words. She knew Sam really wanted to win and her nervousness was making   
her edgy and irritable but never before had she heard Sam talk about dropping a team-mate.  
  
"It's okay," Tori tried to calm her down. "If Ami can't be here then I'll blade," he offered.  
  
"No!" Minako and Sam both cried at the same time.  
  
"You're not on top form, you can't fight!" Sam said. "If I get my hands on Ami I'm gonna - "   
  
"It doesn't matter," Tori cut through her impatiently. "I know I'm not in the best condition but as long   
as you two win your matches then there's nothing to worry about and besides, we have the elemental   
advantage."  
  
"Don't screw up, Mina," Sam shot a warning glare at Minako.   
  
"It looks like the Terrabladers are able to fight!" A.J. exclaimed, backed up by screams of approval   
from their fans. "And up first to fight in the field dish is Lily of the Blitz babes against Tori of the   
Terrabladers!"  
  
"Go Terrabladers!" Tyson stood up and yelled, waving his hands around dangerously.  
  
"Sit down before you embarrass us!" Kenny tugged Tyson sleeves, forcing him to sit back down  
  
"Hey, Tori," Minako scanned the crowds while waving back at Tyson. "Kai isn't here, do you think it's   
because of…"  
  
"I'll find out later," Tori assured her as he rose from his seat. "Right now concentrate on our battle."  
  
The two bladers met on the opposite side of the dish.   
  
"You ready?" Lily's blue eyes narrowed at her opponent, she raised her yellow blade and launcher to   
challenge him.  
  
Tori ignored the menacing look he received from the fiery girl. He knew he wouldn't do as well as he   
could but he had to blade to keep them in the tournament.  
  
"3…2…1…Let it rip!"  
  
~ Unknown location ~  
  
Ami winced as sunlight hit her eyes. She suddenly became aware of someone watching her; she turned   
her aching neck to gaze upon a silent red haired boy with ice blue eyes. He looked familiar but she was   
almost certain that she had never seen him before.  
  
She tied to move but her legs and hands were firmly bound with a length of cord.  
  
"Don't struggle, it'll only make your wrists bleed," the boy advised.   
  
Ami stopped struggling and took up trying to mask the fear in her eyes. She wished she could conceal   
her feelings behind a mask of indifference like what the boy was doing now, like what Kai always did.  
  
'Kai! So that's why I recognise this boy. The look in his eyes, the veil that covers his feelings is almost   
exactly like what Kai does!' She had no time to congratulate herself on her discovery because the boy   
suddenly stood up and grabbed her by the collar, pulling her to her feet.  
  
"Come," he ordered.   
  
For the first time Ami had time to scan her surroundings. She was in what seemed to be an   
underground chamber bathed in dim candlelight, around her were four test tubes two of which were   
empty and the other two held bitbeasts.   
  
"Ara!" Ami cried upon seeing the purple snake submerged and seemingly unconscious in yellow   
liquid. "What did you do to her?" If the circumstances had been different she would never have dared   
to say such a thing but fear and worry for her bitbeast blocked out all her reasoning.   
  
"We just made her more powerful," another voice emerged from the darkness. "Well done, Tala, you   
may go now."   
  
Tala looked from Ami to the shadows, he seemed reluctant to leave but made his way out of the   
chamber anyway.  
  
"Give me back Ara!" Ami demanded.  
  
"Okay, if you agree to work for us," the person emerged from his hiding place. He had purple hair and   
wore a black mask to conceal his facial features.   
  
"Work for you?" Ami looked confused. Why would they want a horrendous blader such as her to work   
for such an important organisation? Maybe they needed her computer skills but she wasn't *that* good   
at computers not as good as Kenny.  
  
"You've got a good synchronisation with Tarae, the highest I've seen, you can have her if you work for   
us," the masked man smirked evilly. The girl in front of him seemed the shy and timid type, she would   
be easy to break and brainwash. She didn't seem very strong but several months of intense Biovolt   
training should fix that minor problem.   
  
'There's a catch here,' Ami suspected. 'This must be some sort of criminal organisation. Well I have a   
spotless record and I'm not about to go to jail but Ara or Tarae as he called her…well…'   
  
"We can always force you to work for us," the masked man warned.  
  
Ami tried to stop herself trembling. If she ever got back she swore that she would never go anywhere   
without someone else. It was the fact that she had to go through this alone that worried her most, she   
had always been a little dependant on her team-mates ever since they had taken her in but now she was   
on her own.  
  
She turned her head to gaze at her bitbeast once more. Slowly she closed her eyes and lowered her head   
in an act of submission.   
  
********************  
  
Mizu_Tenshi: Okay, so that sucked, it'll get better as I get to the grand finale. No, it's not ending there's   
quite a few more chapters to come. PLEASE VOTE on the Ray pairing, I know that most of you voted   
but I need to do another toll.  
  
hhtme - Glad you like it, thanks for the review.   
  
By the Stars - Sure, I guess the stupid time zone makes it hard.   
  
starwolf - Thanks so much for all your reviews! I predict about three or four chapters more until the   
end.   
  
Lavender - A few more chapters to go. Should Kai keep Dryx? What do you think?  
  
deon - More Kai/Minako next chapter, promise!  
  
heather - It's so cute! I know, I'm hyper.   
  
yinyangqueen - I think I might let him keep it but it's not certain yet.  
  
Anime the Fallen Angel - Food good! I know there was no Kai but I'll make up for it in the next   
chapter.  
  
Sighing Siren - Yes, you were right, my hate goes of to you. 


	14. Run!

Mizu_Tenshi: I know I'm so late in updating! Sorry!  
  
"…" Speech  
  
'…' Thought  
  
*…* Implied words  
  
'Tragedy after tragedy each heart-breaking event will play. 'Til all hope goes out and night returns to   
  
day.'  
  
******************  
  
Chapter 13: Run!   
  
"Annndd Tori is outta there!" A.J. practically screamed.   
  
Tori cursed under his breath as he made his way back to the benches.  
  
"It's okay, you did your best," Sam comforted him. "I'll show them what being a Terrablader is all   
  
about!"   
  
"And next up is Samantha of the Terrabladers against Rose of the Blitz babes!" A.J. continued to burst   
  
everyone's eardrums. "Now for the quick analysis!"  
  
"Okay well on one side you got Samantha and her bitbeast Binah, she's and all rounder but she has the   
  
elemental advantage," Brad said knowingly. "And on the other you've got Rose with her bitbeast, Star,   
  
she's got speed, she's got strategy and she's got what it takes to win!"  
  
A round, standard training dish rose from the ground.  
  
"Ah, the basics," Sam murmured her approval. "This'll be easy!"  
  
~ Hotel ~  
  
Kai lay on his bed staring at the ceiling with bored crimson orbs. He knew he had to get Tarae from   
  
Ami; the girl probably had no idea what her bitbeast really was and he knew he had to go to the   
  
stadium to get it but he couldn't bring himself to get up.   
  
Dryx had been easier to control ever since the battle with that shark but it still took a lot out of him just   
  
to keep the annoying mongrel under control.  
  
'Well the sooner I get that blade the sooner I can get Tarae,' Kai forced himself off his bed and   
  
proceeded down the corridor.   
  
~ Stadium ~   
  
"That was close folks but it looks like today's winner is Samantha!" (A.N. Sorry for skipping the fight   
  
scenes but I'm sure they were too long and boring for you.)  
  
Kai crept slowly into the spectator's stands, trying his best to avoid being noticed by his team or to   
  
cause any unnecessary questions being asked.  
  
He took a seat a little way away from his team but immediately stood up again when he saw that Ami   
  
was missing. It wasn't like the Terrabladers to let an injured member play. Maybe he was just being   
  
pessimistic but the only logical conclusion he managed to form was not pleasant. Biovolt must have   
  
found Ami and taken Tarae.  
  
"Shit!" Kai swore in several more languages before taking off.   
  
'Dam! If those psychos manage to use it…no, they need someone with a high synchronisation to   
  
control Tarae…' His mind wandered whom they would use as a candidate. Maybe Brain or perhaps   
  
Ian, it would definitely be a Demolition Boy.   
  
From the benches Tori watched the last flicker of a pure white scarf disappear into the distance.  
  
'What's the kid up to now?' Tori wondered. He leaned over to Sam who was looking a lot less stressed.  
  
"I think I'll excuse myself, make sure Minako doesn't get into too much trouble, okay?"  
  
"Why? Where are you going?" Sam asked.  
  
'The basis of a good relationship is honesty and trust,' Tori reminded himself.  
  
"I gotta go to the men's room, I'll be back in an hour."  
  
"An hour? Tori, no one pisses that long, what are you - " Sam tried to say but he was already running   
  
off. She sighed and put her arms behind her head like a cushion. "What a bad liar," she murmured.   
  
~ Outside ~  
  
Tori ran silently but quickly to catch up with the slate haired boy.  
  
"Hey Kai! Where are you going?" Tori yelled once he was within a close enough distance.  
  
Kai turned around, most people were inside the stadium so the outside was practically deserted except   
  
for Tori and Kai.  
  
"Where's Ami?" Kai asked bluntly.  
  
The question took Tori by surprise; he was expecting something along the lines of "None of your   
  
business!" "Go away," or "Fuck off!"   
  
"She's not here, I haven't seen her all day, I think she must have forgotten," Tori replied.  
  
That just confirmed Kai's suspicions that Biovolt had definitely got Ami. He nodded curtly and   
  
resumed his course to wherever Biovolt was stationed.   
  
"Whoa, wait!" Tori grabbed Kai by the arm to prevent him from moving further. "Something's going   
  
on, what is it? Is this about Dryx?"  
  
Shaking off Tori's grip he narrowed his eyes into a glare, Minako must have told him about Dryx but   
  
how much he knew Kai wasn't sure. If you weren't sure you asked.  
  
"What do you know?"  
  
"I know that Dryx happens to be a super-powerful bitbeast called an Origin which also happens to live   
  
inside your body and enhances all skills of fighting," Tori answered proudly. "I hacked into Biovolt,"   
  
he explained.   
  
  
  
'So he knows that much, that's nothing,' Kai reassured himself. Still, Tori had to be given an award for   
  
meddling and being a downright nosy little prick.  
  
"So what is going on? I assume that Dryx has something to do with Ami since you're asking about   
  
her."  
  
"Why should I tell you?" Kai growled. He didn't have time for this.  
  
Tori blinked. What kind of stupid question was that? "Well..." he faltered. "You're my brother!"  
  
"Will you stop saying that?" Kai was getting annoyed now. "I told you, I don't know who the hell you   
  
are!"  
  
Tori had been going on about the 'we're related' thing for too long it had stopped being even slightly   
  
amusing. Sam, Tori…they both said the same thing. It was hard to believe that they were both lying   
  
and they did share the same crimson eyes but if they were related then Kai should remember something   
  
or have something that indicated that they were brothers.   
  
Tori frowned. Was it so hard to remember a part of your past? Seeing Kai treat him like this couldn't   
  
help but make him angry with Biovolt for what they had done.   
  
"Well I know a lot about you."  
  
"Hn." Was Kai's only reply as he turned round and tried to walk away again.  
  
Tori's mind raced. He didn't know what it was but he was suddenly pressed with an urgent feeling that   
  
said that he had to know what was happening *now. *  
  
"Your favourite colour is blue, you like spaghetti bolognaise but dislike eating red meat and your   
  
favourite number, though extremely boring, is number one," Tori yelled quickly.   
  
'Wow, I can't believe I didn't think of doing that sooner,' his mind applauded him.  
  
Kai stopped dead in his tracks but he didn't turn around to look Tori straight in the eye. "How do you   
  
know that?"  
  
"The blue and pink elephants told me," Tori said sarcastically.  
  
"Whatever, I don't have time for this."   
  
"Why not?" Tori continued questioning. "What's so important?"  
  
Kai gritted his teeth but in the end decided that it was best to just ignore him and walk on.   
  
Tori raced ahead and planted himself firmly in front of Kai.  
  
"Tell me *now* " He commanded with a determined tone of voice.  
  
Kai sighed and rolled his eyes; this guy was about as stubborn as Tyson.  
  
"Ami's beast is an incomplete Origin that escaped from the abbey, it found a place in Ami's blade   
  
purely by coincidence. Boris wants their project back so he must have taken Ami to they abbey."  
  
"Okay, I'm coming too. She's part of my team and as team leader I have responsibility over her."  
  
Kai remained expressionless, he knew how Tori felt, he was a team leader himself but he preferred to   
  
work alone Tori would just be in the way.  
  
'Why do people always have to stick their noses in my business? This guy just won't give up,' Kai   
  
frowned.   
  
He nodded and ran into the distance with Tori behind him.  
  
'Crap! This kid is fast!' Tori thought as he tried to keep up with Kai.  
  
'Dam! I should have lost him by now!' Kai clenched his teeth in frustration as he raced through the   
  
streets and past the confused crowds of people that were appearing. 'Well, time to pick up the pace!'  
  
Tori watched Kai accelerate. 'That's not gonna help!' he smirked and quickened his pace.  
  
~ Stadium ~   
  
Minako approached a dish with little miniature rocks and boulders that adorned the barren and sandy   
  
landscape. It was a perfect environment for her blade.  
  
"You have to win this one of we're out!" Sam yelled from the benches. Once Minako gave her a   
  
determined nod she let herself relax, loosing most of the tension that gripped her with a long sigh.   
  
Inwardly she was worried about Tori, he seemed in a hurry to get away and she knew that he had left   
  
the stadium, she prayed that Minako would finish quickly so she could go look for him.  
  
"Okay, this is it!" A.J yelled. "The final battle to determine who will go through to the next round!   
  
3…2…1…Let it rip!"  
  
~ Outside ~  
  
"What do you want to talk about, Mariah?" Ray asked.  
  
"Ray…" she fiddled with the strands of her pink hair nervously.  
  
"What is it?" Ray looked concerned.  
  
'Just like Ray to care for everyone else,' Mariah smiled inwardly. 'He's so sweet.'  
  
"Are you okay?" Ray tilted his head to get a closer look but Mariah bowed her head and let her bangs   
  
conceal her eyes.  
  
"Ray…there's been something I've been wanting to tell you for a long time…" her breathing suddenly   
  
accelerated, her heart began to beat faster. "The thing is…I…well…"  
  
"Go on," Ray beckoned her to continue.  
  
"I…I really…no, I…I love you!"  
  
  
  
~ Outside Biovolt ~  
  
  
  
The two bladers stood a good distance away from Biovolt so they would not be spotted. Both were   
  
breathing heavily, recovering from their race.  
  
"You can't get rid of me that easily!" Tori glared at Kai.  
  
Kai muttered something under his breath and gave Tori the most dangerous death-glare ever. It would   
  
have been enough to set his team cringing back but Tori stood defiantly in front of Kai. His only   
  
reaction to the glare was to counter it a mocking smile.  
  
"Are we gonna go in or are we just going to stand here all day?" Tori asked.  
  
"Hn!" Kai grunted disapprovingly. He gestured to Tori to wait in hiding while he made his way   
  
through the abbey grounds and to a large set of oak doors.  
  
Kai pounded on the doors until a Biovolt employee opened one side of the double doors.   
  
"I need to see Boris regarding the Origins," Kai said matter-of-factly, pretending he was still with   
  
Biovolt.  
  
The man in a black suit nodded and let him in shutting the door behind him.  
  
From where Tori was hiding he suddenly stood up, realising what had just happened. "That little son of   
  
a - " Now he had to find his own way into the abbey. "Well I've done it before and I can do it again,"   
  
he shrugged as he ran off.  
  
~ Inside the abbey ~  
  
Kai was led through the familiar gloomy halls and corridors to the chamber he recognised as the one,   
  
which held the Origins.  
  
"Mr Balkov," the employee said as he knocked on the large chamber door. "Master Hiwatari is here to   
  
see you."  
  
Kai stepped into the eerie chamber, in the dim light he could just make out Ami's figure in the gloom.  
  
"Ah, Kai!" Boris, who was fiddling with some controls, smiled his normal, sly, deceiving smile. "Have   
  
you come for Tarae? Well I'm afraid there is a problem. Since you were not the one who caught it I'm   
  
afraid you have failed, you may not have Tarae, instead this lovely little girl will be the one who   
  
merges with it."  
  
Ami's expression was hard to distinguish but she had obviously not merged yet and was shocked and   
  
perhaps a little scared by Kai's unexpected appearance.  
  
"She has a very high synchronisation with it, higher than you, even." Boris continued. "Don't feel too   
  
bad though, I always thought you were more suited for Dryx, anyway. Too bad you can't keep it!" he   
  
smirked. "You may have forgotten but you were given Dryx on the grounds that you find Tarae for us   
  
and since we work faster than you, you have failed and must have Dryx extracted."  
  
Kai glared at Boris with every ounce of hatred in him.   
  
"Tala, will you deal with Kai so that I can finish the final upgrades," Boris ordered.  
  
Kai spun round to face the door. Tala was leaning casually against the open door frame, his eyes were   
  
no longer ice blue; instead they had turned gold.   
  
Tala charged into Kai, sending him flying to the floor. Kai picked himself up, blocking an incoming   
  
blow just in time.  
  
Dryx raged inside Kai's head, demanding to fight this battle but Kai refused knowing that if he let Dryx   
  
take charge he may never regain control.   
  
Tala threw several more kicks and punches in Kai's direction, each one sent him wheeling backwards.   
  
Now Dryx was going mad, bouncing around inside his mind. What could Kai do? He couldn't fight   
  
Tala and Dryx at the same time.  
  
Another punch hit him in the chest; Kai fell to the ground in defeat, something warm tickled his throat   
  
causing him to cough up a warm, crimson liquid.  
  
His eyes widened upon seeing it and he swore several more times as Tala approached.   
  
"Kai!" Tori rushed into the chamber.  
  
'That guy just doesn't give up,' Kai rolled his eyes.  
  
"Kai, you idiot, you should know that you couldn't get rid of me that easily," Tori smirked.  
  
"Good, more opponents for me to crush!" Tala/Giera growled approvingly. (A.N. Tala's Origin in case   
  
anyone forgot)   
  
Tori recognised the golden eyes. He frowned, so Kai was not the only one with an Origin. 'Dam! I   
  
always seem to get into fights when I'm still recovering!'  
  
Tori's thoughts were cut of by a sharp punch to the stomach. Several more punches came; a few Tori   
  
managed to block successfully while others found their mark across his chest and stomach.  
  
Tori tried to retaliate and counter the blows he was receiving but to no avail. Eventually he too sank to   
  
the floor.   
  
"Good work, Tala," Boris congratulated.   
  
Tala/Giera glared at Boris and then turned to Ami who had stayed deadly quiet as she watched the   
  
fighting. A satanic smile crossed his lips as he approached the frightened girl.   
  
Ami took a few steps back until he back hit a test tube containing the fourth Origin; a black horse   
  
named Coroco.  
  
A roundhouse kick flew straight for Ami's head. She yelped and ducked and the kick went straight   
  
through the glass of the tube.  
  
The liquid poured out and over Ami, drenching her in the foul substance. The dormant Origin flopped   
  
onto the floor like a lifeless doll then slowly deteriorated in front of their eyes.  
  
"No! It wasn't ready yet!" Boris shouted. "Tala! You'll pay for this unless you stop now!"  
  
The threat fell upon deaf ears. Giera had taken over and now Tala/Giera was out of control.   
  
****************  
  
Mizu_Tenshi: What will Ray say in response? What will become of Tala and the rest? Tell me what   
  
you'd like to see please!  
  
starwolf - Okay, maybe five more and I was thinking of a sequel though it's doubtful that I'll do one.  
  
Lavender - Oh, I can't decide who Ray should go with! As for the Kai/Minako I have something very   
  
interesting planned  
  
devildragon - ^_^; Sorry, I guess I got caught up in the Biovolt plot thing. I'm planning for the thing to   
  
be resolved it's just that Kai and Tori never really got much time to talk about the brother thing.  
  
  
  
DestinyBabee - Thank you, I'm looking out for the next update on your fic.  
  
heather - He didn't say 'I love you!' He might reject her he might not.  
  
Anime the Fallen Angel - Kai/Minako: Nothing is gonna stop me from putting them together!   
  
Ray/Mariah: Maybe Ami/Kenny or Max: Good point  
  
By the Stars - Yay! Someone who doesn't mind what I do with the pairings!  
  
deon - Sorry, I've been very busy.  
  
Galux Kitty - Ah Sora! Where's the muse when you need him?  
  
httme - Thank you, R&R! 


	15. Something to think about

Mizu_Tenshi: This is the first time I've managed to reach triple digits on any of my fics! Thank you so much! PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE R&R my Final Fantasy 9 fic 'Memories of life' or I'm gonna delete it.  
  
"." Speech '.' Thought *.* Implied words  
  
'If I could change the past, take me to before I was born. So I'd never have to face the truth, the truth of a blood red dawn.' ********************  
  
Chapter 14: Something to think about  
  
Tala/Giera growled at Boris and approached him menacingly. Boris took a few steps back and brought a walkie-talkie to his mouth and barked several orders through it.  
  
The door to the chamber burst open and several Biovolt employees rushed in. Tala/Giera spun round and made a mad dash for them.  
  
"Let's go!" Tori yelled, using Tala/Giera as a distraction.  
  
"Stop!" Boirs ordered the men to block their way but they were too busy defending themselves from Tala/Giera.  
  
Kai managed to hoist himself up and ran alongside Tori and Ami. As they ran through a long and narrow corridor the sirens flashed red and screeched in a high-pitched wail.  
  
"Come on!" Tori urged them on. "Once we're outside they can't touch us!"  
  
In the distance there was the sound of a gun firing a shot and then silence as the sirens became dim to their senses.  
  
"There they are! Seize them!" More Biovolt employees poured out of doors behind them until there was about a crowd of six fully-grown men behind them.  
  
"We're nearly there!" Tori yelled.  
  
Launchers appeared all over the sides of the wall and shot extra sharp beyblades out at the three teens. The end was nearly in sight; light at the end of the tunnel was just a little further.  
  
Kai remembered this place from the last time he had visited and dodged as best as his memory could remember. Occasionally a blade would slice the skin but they continued to run knowing that if they stopped they would probably be killed.  
  
"Keep running!" Tori ordered. Ami nodded with a mixture of determination and pain on her face.  
  
Finally they were at the end. Kai slammed his side into the door and it burst open. They ran out away from Biovolt grounds and into the fresh air, away from Biovolt and the men there.  
  
They were untouchable now, Biovolt couldn't do anything in broad daylight even though there wasn't anybody around to see the bruises and cuts they had all sustained Biovolt wasn't going to risk attracting any unnecessary attention.  
  
Once they were as far as they thought safe they stopped running, quickly checking to make sure no one was around they stopped to breathe.  
  
"That.was close," Ami panted. "We should go to a hospital."  
  
"No," Kai was standing in his usual commanding stature although he didn't seem so superior as he would if he didn't have a bleeding shoulder and several minor bruises. "We don't want them asking about how we got these injuries."  
  
Ami grimaced at her bleeding arm and then turned away in disgust at the sight of blood. Her face was contorted with pain and fatigue.  
  
"Let's sneak back to the hotel and get patched up there," Tori suggested. "Just pray that we don't meet anyone."  
  
~ Hotel ~  
  
The three teens successfully sneaked into Tori's room and locked the door behind them. Tori produced a first aid kit from the bathroom and they each began wrapping wounds and tending to bruises while Ami changed into clean clothes.  
  
It was nothing too serious; most of the injuries were minor cuts and bruises, which would disappear in a few days but a few of Tori's old wounds had opened again and Kai had a rather large gash on his right upper arm.  
  
"Want some help?" Ami asked Kai as he struggled bandaging his right arm with his left hand.  
  
"I'm fine," Kai stated rudely.  
  
"Kai, you're doing it wrong, let me," Tori offered.  
  
"I'm fine," he repeated. "Why don't you mind your own business and if you say 'because I'm your brother' I will choke you," Kai glared. He was not in a good mood.  
  
"Who are they, Tori? What just happened?" Ami sat down on Sam's bed.  
  
"Biovolt. It's a secret organisation planning to take over the world. Tala had an Origin in him, which was why he was acting so strangely." Tori filled in when Kai refused to say anymore.  
  
"You've done a lot of searching," Kai spat, now that he had rather untidily bandaged his arm he was staring up at the swirls on the ceiling. "  
  
"I wonder what happened to him.Tala, I mean, do you think he's dead?" Ami mused.  
  
"Could be," Tori shrugged. "Then again he might just be wounded."  
  
~ Stadium ~  
  
"It was a close one but it looks like the Terrabladers will be proceeding on to the next round!" A.J. cried amongst the cheers and boos of hundreds of spectators.  
  
Minako let a sigh of relief wash over her as she returned to the benches.  
  
"Hey, where's Tori?" She asked Sam.  
  
"He left awhile ago, I'm getting kinda worried, maybe he's gone looking for Ami. I hope he hasn't gotten into trouble." Sam replied.  
  
"Hey, Minako! Sam! Good game!" Most of the Bladebreakers and the White Tigers came over to congratulate them.  
  
"You guys were awesome, especially the last battle!" Tyson grinned. "Too bad Kai wasn't here to see it."  
  
"Kai!" Minako yelled a little louder than she meant. She blushed and lowered her voice. "Do you know where he is? Is he sick?"  
  
"Um." Tyson looked shocked. "He seemed okay to me, why?"  
  
".Nothing." Minako sighed. "It's just that Ami's missing and Tori left a little while back."  
  
"Yeah, he seemed like he was in a rush," Sam nodded.  
  
"She hasn't turned up at all?" Li questioned.  
  
"Hey, where's Ray? And where's Mariah?" Kevin looked around to see if he could spot them.  
  
"Gary saw Ray and Mariah go outside," Gary said in his usual, slow, voice.  
  
"This is freaky;" Max shuddered. "People are going missing!"  
  
"I think you're over-reacting, Max," Kenny said knowingly. "They probably got a little tired and went back to the hotel, let's check there!"  
  
~ Outside ~  
  
It was hard to tell who was more shocked; Mariah for finally admitting her feelings or Ray for hearing such words from his childhood friend.  
  
".What did you say?" Ray blinked in disbelief.  
  
"I.I think.I think I said.I love you," Mariah stuttered, she was utterly petrified, waiting for her hopes to be confirmed or dashed. The waiting game was never pleasant, especially when it tugged at your heart. Ray wasn't helping either.  
  
"I.don't know what to say." Ray was just as bewildered as Mariah, he found that he couldn't say anymore. There was Ami.she had said something much the same. He didn't like the idea of hurting anyone.  
  
'So who do you love, Ray' His mind asked maliciously. 'On one side you've got sweet, innocent little Ami and on the other you've got Mariah, your dear childhood friend. You'll end up breaking a heart but which one?'  
  
Mariah watched, as Ray seemed to be holding a private discussion with himself. Finally, she could take it no longer; she had to say something to cut through the horrible silence.  
  
"Ray!" her voice brought him back to earth. "I.I'll understand if you say 'no' it's just that you've taught me so much like how to blade and stuff.this time I want to teach you.I want to teach you how to love."  
  
Ray looked in shock, as if he was finally able to see the sun. Mariah was one of his best friends. He had to forget about Ami, about Mariah, about whatever anyone else would say and listen to his heart.  
  
"Mariah I think -"  
  
"Hey there you two are!" Tyson's voice made them jump.  
  
"Hey, what are you doing out here?" Li asked suspiciously.  
  
"T.talking," Mariah blushed.  
  
"Well anyway, people are missing and we're going to the hotel to see if they're there," Tyson explained. "Are you coming with us or not?"  
  
"Sure." Ray cast a quick glance at Mariah who looked away.  
  
~ Hotel ~  
  
The group reached the hotel and tried Kai's room. Once they found it empty they proceeded to Tori's room.  
  
"It's locked," Sam muttered. "Hey, Tori! You in there?"  
  
"Um.yeah, why?"  
  
"Tori, is Kai there?" Minako yelled through the door.  
  
"Yes, and Ami too."  
  
"Ami!" Sam yelled. "I'm gonna kill you, you little blonde Barbie! How could have forgotten our match? Open up right now so I can give you the third degree!" She yelled so loud that it made people passing stare at her.  
  
There was some shuffling and then Tori appeared in the doorway.  
  
"Let me at her! I'll -"  
  
Sam stopped when Tori held up his hand, his face was dead serious.  
  
"I need to talk to you," Tori said sternly. He then side-stepped so that he could see the other two teams. "To all of you."  
  
~ Later ~  
  
The three combined teams were sitting the floor, on beds, chairs, and pieces of furniture or leaning against walls.  
  
"So let me get this straight," Li sighed and rubbed his temples. "Biovolt has made Origins, which are super-powered bitbeasts inside humans, right?"  
  
"And there's one in Kai?" Tyson shuddered.  
  
"Correct," Ami nodded.  
  
"And they're planning to take over the world with these Origins and some other technical stuff."  
  
"Yeah," Ami nodded again. "You should have seen Tala, he went totally berserk!"  
  
"But how are we gonna take down a huge company like Biovolt?" Kenny asked. "They've got branches all over the world and what are we gonna do with the Origins?"  
  
There was silence; all heads turned to Tori and Kai.  
  
"Isn't it obvious?" Tori looked from one face to another. "We destroy them along with everything else."  
  
"How?" Kevin was a little sceptical.  
  
"Give us a while and we'll think of something."  
  
~ Kai and Ray's room ~  
  
As soon as he reached his room Kai sighed and flopped onto his bed. He was glad Ray was seldom in; it meant more time to himself.  
  
"Howdy, mop top!" Came the same annoying, cheerful voice he had come to know so well.  
  
"What do you want, Minako?" Kai propped himself up into a sitting position to face the latest interruption.  
  
"Got any good ideas yet?" Minako sat on the opposite bed.  
  
"I think better on my own," Kai glared at her.  
  
"Here," she offered him a piece of chocolate. "I find that chocolate helps me think."  
  
"If I eat it will you go away?" Kai asked rudely.  
  
"Sure," Minako smiled, unfazed by Kai's hostile manner. She had grown accustomed to it.  
  
Kai took the chocolate and popped it into his mouth, grimacing at the sweet taste. "There, go now."  
  
"Uh uh," Minako shook her head. "You never said I had to leave right now," she smiled. "So, I see you don't like chocolate."  
  
"Actually, that was the first time I had any," Kai shrugged.  
  
"What! You've never had chocolate before? What kind of planet are you from?" Minako gasped in disbelief. "Well, I guess you never had any fun with your grandfather. Did you ever have any friends, any dreams about anything except being the best?"  
  
"No, I've always been trained to be the best," was Kai's answer. He didn't know why he was talking so much; maybe it was because the only way you could get rid of Minako was to talk until she got tired.  
  
"Well who wants to waste their time beating others? Life doesn't last forever so we should spend our time having fun and doing what we love!"  
  
Kai stared at her as if she was an alien. He had never seen the world through someone else's eyes, he never imagined how different the world was depending on your perspective. The way she thought was so strange yet perfectly logical.  
  
"I have this dream," Minako continued. "I have this dream of fighting evil, sticking with friends falling in love and just having an adventure. I want to gain as many experiences as I can before I grow old and die. In fact, I don't even want to die from old age, I want to die bleeding heroically or in the arms of my true love."  
  
"Life's not an anime show."  
  
"I know," Minako blushed. "But I can't help but hope that maybe I have a knight in shining armour that'll come down and save me when I'm in trouble, stupid, huh?"  
  
Kai nodded. "Yes, it is, but it doesn't matter."  
  
"Maybe we should see if anyone else has an idea," Minako suggested.  
  
******************  
  
Mizu_Tenshi: Sorry about cutting out Ray's answer but that'll come in the next chapter, I promise! 'Memories of life' I would really appreciate it if someone reviewed that. And I also updated CCS and the Simpsons too.  
  
heather - Yes it would but Kai, being Kai, means he doesn't really trust anyone. They were probably gonna train Ami to be stronger and as for RayxMariah.well don't be mad but everyone else wants that pairing.um I'm gonna go hide now.  
  
silver dragon - Um.Thanks anyway! It's good to know you at least bothered to log in.  
  
Sighing Siren - No but if you want you can look after Sora for the day.  
  
starwolf - Thank you so much for your support. I planning a very good ending already.  
  
deon - I'm planning to get the two closer. The talk was necessary for that even if it did seem pointless.  
  
Galux Kitty - Sorry for cutting it out. The reply will be next chapter I swear. Now I'm gonna look for a decent hiding place.  
  
By the Stars - Hey, I've tried going on at different time but your never online, never mind, I'll chat to you when I review. Speaking of which, I'm waiting and twitching with anticipation here.  
  
Anime the Fallen Angel - Wow, you'd really give me a cookie? I'm outta my 'Kai like' mood and into my 'Max like' mood I GOT ANOTHER CHAPTER DONE!  
  
Beyblader_grl - Heh, sorry I just like being evil. Anyway please R&R. 


	16. Plans and Problems

Mizu_Tenshi: IMPORTANT! I'm really sorry but someone brought to my attention another option what if I kept Ray single? That way everyone's happy. Not much action right now 'cos I want to show you everyone's relationships with each other and how they differ. Not many chapters left so please bear with me.  
  
"..." Speech  
  
'.' Thought  
  
*.* Implied words  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own anything  
  
*****************  
  
Chapter 15: Problems  
  
Ray was submerged in thought as he walked up and down the carpeted hotel corridors.  
  
"Ray?"  
  
Ray looked up at the familiar voice and smiled. "Hey, Mariah, how are you?"  
  
"Please, Ray, don't be like that!" Mariah put her hands on her hips. "Stop acting like I said nothing, you're not helping at all, if you don't feel the same way just tell me!"  
  
'Great, why did I say that?' Mariah felt like kicking herself. Maybe it was all the tension that just came out in bursts.  
  
"I...I...." Ray stuttered.  
  
"Hey, guys!" Both Ray and Mariah spun round to face Max with his normal grin plastered on his face.  
  
'Damn you, world, damn you,' Mariah mentally groaned.  
  
"What's up, Max?" Ray asked.  
  
"Kenny's thought of a plan, come on!"  
  
~ Hotel room ~  
  
The three groups were once again crowded around a table in the middle of Tori and Sam's room. On the table was a large sheet of white paper with two large squares, one inside the other drawn onto the paper with a green crayon.  
  
"My plan is simple," Kenny said proudly. "After talking with Tori and Ami I know a way we can stop Biovolt. Basically all the data from the many Biovolt branches is all connected to the same system mainframe."  
  
"I get it," Ami caught on. "You want to hack into their computers and delete the data."  
  
"Not quite," Kenny was obviously enjoying his moment in the spotlight. "That takes too long but I can get Dizzi to whip up a virus. Soon, all the branches in the world will be infected and this virus will be programmed to delete everything with no possible way of retrieving anything. All we need to do is get the virus into the mainframe and we're done no mess, no hassle."  
  
"What about the Origins?" Ray enquired.  
  
"Simple," Tori stepped forward. "Another group of us will head into the labs and extract the one in Kai and Tala, if he's alive, then we destroy them."  
  
"Hey wait!" Ami cried out in protest. "If you destroy Tarae that leaves me without a bit-beast!"  
  
"You never liked blading anyway," Minako tried to persuade her friend.  
  
"Yeah but what about the team?"  
  
"We can always find another person with a bit-beast to blade and then you can do what you do best; finding information and thinking up strategies like what Kenny does." Tori offered.  
  
"That sounds really far-fetched and doesn't Biovolt have really tight security?" Max pointed out.  
  
"We managed to break into it once, I don't see why we can't do it again," Tori shrugged.  
  
"Why don't we just call the police?" Sam mumbled, not approving any of his plans.  
  
"The police are corrupt, they'll leave Biovolt alone if they get enough money." Tori continued to defend his idea.  
  
"Well, it does sound a like a lot of things could go wrong," Kenny admitted. "We're bladers not vigilantes."  
  
"Who cares what we are?" Minako shrugged. "I just want to blow something up!"  
  
"Okay, so are you guys in or not?" Tori asked.  
  
"You're the leader, we'll listen to you," Ami shrugged.  
  
"Yeah, course we'll help, we've faced Biovolt before, right guys?" Tyson grinned. The other Breakers sweatdropped.  
  
"I still reckon we're all gonna die a most painful death but we'll go too, someone's gotta be there to stop you messing up, right?" Li flashed his fangs as he smiled.  
  
"You know," Kai spoke for the first time throughout the whole 'briefing' "I'd rather you didn't get involved in my business."  
  
"Come on Kai," Tyson was still grinning happily at the prospect of a new adventure. "You can't do this by yourself and you know it."  
  
"Fine, you can have your happy little field-trip to your impending doom, just remember, I never needed your help." He shifted himself from his place leaning against the wall and made his way to the door. "I suggest you get ready, we're raiding Biovolt tonight."  
  
One by one the rest filed out of the room to enjoy what remained of the day. Only Tori and Sam were left in the room.  
  
"Tori?" Sam touched Tori's shoulder lightly. "We'll get through this." She kissed him lightly just brushing his lips.  
  
"I know," Tori muttered.  
  
"We've been through so much together from the time you ran away from your grandpa to now," Sam murmured. "If you're worried about Kai don't be. I know him too and even if he doesn't remember us at least we know where he is and at least we know that he can take care of himself."  
  
"It's not Kai that's bothering me, it's what we're doing," Tori explained. "I want to see Biovolt gone not 'cos they're gonna hurt anyone but 'cos I want my revenge."  
  
"So? You have that right," Sam assured him. "Biovolt forced you to leave home and live like a vagabond."  
  
"And tonight I'll have my revenge?"  
  
Sam nodded. "Tonight is our night of retribution."  
  
~ Lounge ~  
  
As Kai entered the lounge he scanned for a place to sit by himself and be alone with his thoughts.  
  
'It's not like I need any help, I don't need to get rid of Dryx either, I should be able to master it just like with everything else.' Kai was dragged out of his trance by a loud bang. He looked into the direction of the sound and mentally groaned.  
  
"Du aßen mein Geld, du Dieb!" Minako was screaming at a vending machine, causing many people to turn and stare at her.  
  
Kai contemplated whether he should bother, in the end he decided it would be best to shut her up.  
  
"Was ist los?"  
  
Minako stopped and turned around, grinning when she saw whom it was. "Kai, I never knew you could speak German!"  
  
"I learnt a little, just the basics," Kai shrugged. "So what the hell are you doing?"  
  
"This stupid machine ate my money!" Minako kicked it with contempt. "But it doesn't matter now," she brightened up immediately. "I got something more interesting to talk to than chocolate now!"  
  
"You talk to chocolate?" Kai raised an eyebrow.  
  
"No, I..I eat it, what I meant was..now you're here I - " Minako faltered, she automatically switched to another topic. "Okay, so you speak German? Translate this: Ich bin Minako und ich wohne mit mein Kaninchen, Johnbob, in ein Rechenautomat! Es ist wirklich bequem!" (1)  
  
Kai looked at her as if she had grown an extra head. "You're psychotic," he shook his head, concealing an amused smirk. (A.N. Smirk not Smile! Sounded pointless but it's for the 'Getting him to open up' scene)  
  
"Aww, I'm not that crazy," Minako was still grinning like a fool. "So whaddya think about this raid?"  
  
"I couldn't care less," Kai shrugged. "As long as Biovolt goes down I'm happy."  
  
"After the raid and the tournament what will you do?" Minako continued to question him.  
  
"Go back to Japan," Kai shrugged.  
  
"Oh," Minako's smile drooped a little. "Can I come? I mean Ami's from Japan and Tori's half Japanese so I'm sure they'd love to go there and I always travel with the team."  
  
"You can go where you want," Kai shrugged in his usual, uncaring manner.  
  
'Score!' Minako was practically hugging herself with glee, an answer like that was as good as if Kai had specially asked her to come with him. 'Minako 1, mean people who say it would never work out 0!'  
  
She thanked him and excused herself, saying she was going to talk with the girls.  
  
"Minako," Kai called after her. She turned and was hit in the face by a chocolate bar.  
  
"Thanks," she grumbled a little as she rubbed her sore face.  
  
~ White Tiger Hotel room ~  
  
The four girls from the two teams lay sprawled over the beds and soft velvet chairs of Mariah's hotel room doing one of the many things girls did best: chatting.  
  
The current topic of discussion was an old yet popular topic, one that had survived the test of time for centuries.  
  
"Men," Mariah grumbled.  
  
"Tell me about it," Ami mumbled as she lay on her back, staring at the ceiling.  
  
"The world is crazy enough without all these weird emotions and hormones flying about," Ami decided to contribute to the 'discussion.' "It would be easier if we were just like the animals; only getting together for the purpose of reproducing."  
  
"Yeah, but then where would all the fun be?" Minako smiled, happily chewing on a chocolate bar.  
  
"Why are you so happy?" Sam glared at her team-mate. "Actually, don't tell me, I don't really wanna know what happened."  
  
"Being a bit sour, aren't you?" Minako was still smiling. "You should know that me and Kai really click!"  
  
"How?" Ami raised an eyebrow. "You two are total opposites; he's a cold, silent, aloof Russian-Japanese teen and you're a psychotic, hyper bunny from Germany."  
  
Minako stuck her tongue out but remained quiet.  
  
"Can we please stick to the subject?" Mariah reminded everyone.  
  
"So what's your problem?" Minako looked eagerly at the only female member of the White Tigers.  
  
"Ray." Mariah muttered.  
  
From her place on a velvet chair Ami looked at Mariah wistfully, listening carefully to what she was saying.  
  
"I told him how I felt but I haven't got an answer 'cos there's always something there interrupting us," Mariah explained. "I think that if we were really meant to be I would know how he feels by now."  
  
"Well maybe, when this is all over that is, you should get him when he's alone, lock him up in a room and don't let him go until he gives you a straight answer," Sam suggested.  
  
"Hmm," Mariah pondered the suggestion. "Maybe I will."  
  
~ That night ~  
  
They stood in the cold, shivering in the gloomy night's air. They wore no coats or anything that might weigh them down or hinder their progress once they were inside the building.  
  
The three teams lingered outside the hotel, while they were waiting for the rest of the group to arrive they chatted silently, voicing their worries reassuring each other that they would all get out safely.  
  
"Are you sure bout this?" Sam whispered to Tori. "I still find it hard to imagine that were actually going to do this."  
  
"Don't worry, we've got everything planned out."  
  
"But, Tori," Sam protested. "This could be our last night together, doesn't that worry you?"  
  
"We'll make it, I promise," Tori wrapped a comforting arm around her.  
  
The many other whispered conversations were roughly along those lines. Kai was talking to Kenny and the male members of the White Tigers, quickly going over the plans one more time while Ami was with Minako and Max was talking to Tyson. Mariah and Ray were standing a little farther apart, exchanging glances.  
  
Ami would sometimes cast a quick glance at Mariah and Ray but neither one of them looked her way. She couldn't care much about Biovolt anymore; she was sick and tired of everything.  
  
"Alright," Tori broke through the whispers. "If anyone's thinking of quitting they can go back to the hotel, I'm not gonna stop you."  
  
There was silence but nobody moved.  
  
"Okay then," he nodded. "Let's go."  
  
"Hey Kai!" Minako called. She came running up to him as he turned, slightly impatiently, waiting for her to catch her breath. "Kai.before we go in.I want you to have something."  
  
Dangling on a silver chain was a simple heart shaped ruby. Almost violently Minako grabbed Kai's hand and stuffed the chain into his palm.  
  
"What?" Kai looked confused. "Why are you giving this to me?"  
  
"It's my birth necklace," she explained. "It represents the state of my heart, I want you to have it, so don't loose it, okay?"  
  
'What the -' Kai's mind was trying to figure out why Minako was doing this.  
  
"Do you want it back after we destroy Biovolt?" Kai asked.  
  
Much to his surprise she broke out in hysterical laughter. "You don't get it, do you?" She beamed once she got over her fit. "Your meant to keep it 'cos....How do I explain it? Well...just hold onto it, okay? You'll understand what I mean someday."  
  
She winked playfully at the slate haired boy and ran past him shouting: "Hey, wait for me guys!"  
  
***********************  
  
Mizu_Tenshi: (1) Translation: I'm Minako and I live with my rabbit, Johnbob, in a computer. It's very comfortable!  
  
Okay, so let me know whether Ray should stay single or not and if not I'll just count up the votes again and pair him up with whoever has the most. The ways you can vote are:  
  
a) Ray x Mariah  
  
b)Ray x Ami  
  
c) The new one! Ray (single)  
  
By the Stars - Well okay, please update whenever you get the time. Exams are a bugger, aren't they?  
  
starwolf - I know, it amazes me too. I live for chocolate...well some other stuff but mostly chocolate! Anyway, remember to vote if you want Ray single or not.  
  
deon - I'm working towards getting them closer together but I always feel like I'm being too sappy. Was that last part too corny?  
  
heather - Thanks for the idea, I'm gonna let the other people vote and see what they want.  
  
Anime the Fallen Angel - Thanks for the review, remember to vote on Ray staying single or not. I hide my sugar reserve in the piano. No one ever suspects looking there!  
  
rxm fan - Thanks for the review and I will count your vote. If people don't want Ray single he'll most likely be with Mariah since that's the way most people voted. Democracy, eh?  
  
Miekkie - That's okay as long as you don't flame me *looks at a broken shelter* at least not until I've got this thing up yet.  
  
Galux Kitty - Okay, so I did listen to heather but it was a very good point. I know what you're gonna vote for, I'm guessing to NOT keep Ray single and pair him up with Mariah? 


	17. Bye Bye Biovolt!

Mizu_Tenshi: All the action is in this chapter plus lots of violence so stay away kiddies!  
  
"." Speech '.' Thought *.* Implied words  
  
Disclaimer: I own nothing, I keep telling you that. I own nothing!  
  
*******************  
  
Chapter 16: The End of Biovolt  
  
They were just outside the grounds behind Biovolt but no one proceeded any further. They knew that there were cameras hidden in the outside grounds all around Biovolt.  
  
"Don't worry, all Biovolt branches use the same blueprints," Kai informed them. "I know where the cameras are hidden and where the trip wires all are." Kai pointed to a tree; there they could just make out a red flashing light in the darkness.  
  
Tyson got out his launcher and set his beyblade into position.  
  
"Tyson, if you miss this I swear to you I'll make you pay!" Kai growled.  
  
"Hey, chill, I'll be careful," Tyson grinned.  
  
He took aim and pulled the rip cord sharply. The blade flew through the air and cut the camera wire before returning to Tyson's hand.  
  
"What did I tell ya? Nothing to worry about!" Tyson said proudly.  
  
"Let's go," Kenny urged them on. "When they realise a camera's been taken out they're gonna send someone to come check it."  
  
The group proceeded onwards, cutting wires with their blades as they went along. Finally they reached the wall they were heading for, long tendrils of ivy twisted up the side and to the window of the second floor.  
  
"Um.I know we're meant to climb this," Mariah said. "But what about." she thrust her finger at Gary. He was obviously too heavy to climb the delicate vines of ivy.  
  
"Ah, well I guess he could stand here and keep guard," Ami suggested.  
  
"Stay out of sight, Gary, make sure the way out is secure, okay?" Li ordered.  
  
"Okay, Gary do what you want." With that Gary trundled off to hide in some bushes while the others climbed the ivy.  
  
"You're lucky, Gary," Ami muttered.  
  
With some difficulty they all took turns in climbing up the ivy and into an empty room via an unlocked window. Once they were all in they slid it shut but did not lock it.  
  
"Okay," Kai got them sorted. "Split into your groups, you all know what to do and once you've done your job get back to the hotel as soon as possible, no lagging behind!"  
  
"Wow Kai, have you done this before?" Max asked, earning him a harsh glare from Kai.  
  
Tori checked outside. All the corridors were empty, lined with red carpet and with paintings hung on the walls. It looked perfectly innocent but he knew that all the illegal stuff was underground or at the back of the first floor.  
  
"It's all clear," Tori nodded.  
  
The group took a tentative step outside the room. Ami and Kenny went down the corridor and into the room a few doors down while the others stole downstairs.  
  
~ Ami and Kenny ~  
  
(A.N.I have no idea about hacking so some stuff may be wrong, no really I have nothing to do with hacking! *Puts away 'The anarchists cookbook'*)  
  
Ami locked the door to Boris' office and then brought out her laptop. Kenny already had Dizzi out and was linking her up to the computer in the office.  
  
"Let's get this virus in quickly," Kenny muttered to no one in particular.  
  
"Woo-hoo" Ami mumbled sarcastically.  
  
She attached her laptop to the computer too and they silently began to hack through the security system, their fingers moving rapidly up and down the keys.  
  
"Whoa! Not to fast," Dizzi warned.  
  
"A firewall!" Kenny was clearly annoyed. "How are we supposed to get the virus into the other networks with a firewall?"  
  
"Hey, leave it to me," Dizzi reassured them. "I've thought of everything, this virus is disguised as a normal piece of data, the computer should let it pass through no problem!" It took a while but the 'data' passed through the firewall.  
  
"Well, I gotta hand it to you, Dizzi, you really do have everything taken care of," Kenny complimented his loudmouth laptop.  
  
"While we're here we might as well make things easier for the others and disable the traps and cameras they haven't gotten yet," Ami suggested.  
  
It was fairly easy, the only thing they had left to do was to destroy the data, which was obviously locked and encrypted.  
  
"Okay, now we just uninstall the anti-virus software and then we get this thing in," Ami was obviously enjoying what she was doing.  
  
It was easier than they thought it would be. The virus quickly infected the mainframe and all the two computer experts could do was to sit back and watch each blinking Biovolt light go out. This would create a lot of trouble for all the branches across the world and it was sure to alert the staff here.  
  
"Ah, bytes to bytes, hertz to hertz," Dizzi sniffed.  
  
"Come on our job's done, let's go back to the hotel," Kenny packed up the laptop. "Oh and Ami, good one, it's been a pleasure hacking with you."  
  
~ With the others ~  
  
The rest of the group was now underground when the red siren began to spin and wail.  
  
"Don't panic," Tori reassured them. "It just shows us that Kenny and Ami have done their job."  
  
"The Origin's chamber is that way," Kai pointed to the left.  
  
They entered cautiously into the large, eerie, stone chamber. Tarae was there, floating in a tube submerged in yellow liquid but there was something else there, standing in the shadows of the room.  
  
"Tala?" Kai approached confidently.  
  
"What do you want?" Tala growled menacingly.  
  
"It's time to get that thing out of you." Kai said but his tone indicated that he couldn't care less whether Tala had an Origin inside of him or not.  
  
"No way this power was given to me to help my team!" Tala tried to stand up but couldn't and that's when everyone noticed a red patch around his leg.  
  
"You were shot in the leg?" Minako looked at the Russian boy. "Come with us and we'll patch you up."  
  
"No!" Tala refused her help.  
  
"Don't be an idiot Tala!" Rei yelled. "If you can't control it you may never be able to regain control!"  
  
"Let's just destroy Tarae first." Tori ran to the controls and began to fiddle with them.  
  
"No!" Everyone spun round to see Boris standing in the doorway with a gun in his hand.  
  
Tori growled but backed away from the tube.  
  
"That's a good boy," Boris nodded his approval. "Now, listen to me and listen good, you will all stay still until my back-up arrives to kill you all."  
  
"Scheiße!" Minako exclaimed with a stamp of her foot.  
  
"What did you say?" Boris turned to point his gun at her.  
  
Tori took this opportunity to lunge at Boris. Both fell to the ground, the gun knocked out of Boris' hand, it fired upon hitting ground.  
  
Everyone automatically ducked as the bullet flew above everyone's heads and buried itself into extracting machine. It sizzled and then there was a minor explosion.  
  
"You bastard!" Sam gasped at Boris. "We needed that thing!"  
  
Boris ignored Sam and made a lunge for the gun but someone else got there first.  
  
"Yay! I've got the gun! Now who's gonna wait to get killed, asshole?" Kevin grinned as he pressed it right against Boris' stomach.  
  
"You okay, Kevin?" Li looked worried.  
  
"Yeah, why wouldn't I be?"  
  
"Can we please just destroy Tarae?" Tori cut through them.  
  
"I'm on it!" Minako ran to the tube and began fiddling with the buttons.  
  
The control panel bleeped and then the yellow liquid began to drain away, the glass case opened and Tarae's eyes snapped open. It hissed loudly and slithered around the room at an incredible speed, looking for the right person to merge with.  
  
It found one.  
  
Boris.  
  
"Err...whoops?" Minako grinned sheepishly.  
  
Boris' eyes instantly turned to the colour of gold as he snarled with rage.  
  
"Shoot him!" Sam yelled.  
  
"What and kill him?" Kevin looked nervous.  
  
"In the leg, in the leg!" Mariah ordered.  
  
Boris/Tarae made a lunge for the gun in Kevin's hands. Without warning the gun went off but not in the leg.  
  
Boris fell like a lifeless rag to the ground, a large hole in his head.  
  
I didn't mean to!" Kevin flung the gun to the door as if it carried some unknown disease.  
  
"Don't worry about it, let's just go," Li reassured his little team-mate.  
  
"Come on Tala," Tyson urged the redhead to follow.  
  
"Not without my team," Tala shook his head.  
  
"If we find your team will you come with us?" Tyson asked.  
  
Tala looked at Boris' still figure and then at the empty test tubes and nodded.  
  
"You're not going anywhere!"  
  
Everyone mentally groaned at the appearance of Voltaire. This was just getting ridiculous, they wouldn't be surprised anymore if the All stars suddenly crashed through the roof.  
  
Voltaire picked up the gun that Kevin had flung to the door and used it to keep everyone still and quiet.  
  
Glancing at Boris and then back at the group he began to talk in the same way all the bad guys talked in the 'James Bond' movies.  
  
"You've been very troublesome, I left Russia three days ago to come and deal with you myself."  
  
"Oh yeah?" Tyson yelled at the old man. "Well guess what? We've taken down your corporation! You've got no more data!"  
  
Voltaire snarled but he didn't shoot the loudmouth teen. Instead he turned to Tori and said: "Well, I never thought you'd have the guts to show your face here. I hope you enjoyed your reunion with Kai 'cause I'm going to have to reclaim what's mine now. Have fun in your pathetic little life."  
  
Kai looked quizzically at Tori and then at Voltaire but he got no answers or even an acknowledging glance from either of them.  
  
"I like my life and the way things are going for me," Tori glared at the man he hated so much. "But I can't help but wonder what it would be like if you just died. Maybe me and Kai would've stayed in Japan with Sam and never formed our own team like we always dreamed of, I know it's a little late but I'd like to see how different life will be."  
  
"You forget," Voltaire was on the end of his tether. "You forget who holds the gun and who can kill you just like that!"  
  
Kai was even more confused than before. Images seemed to flash across his mind.  
  
A sunny day sitting on a bench outside. Sam and Tori when they were little. Flowers and grass dancing in the wind under a clear blue sky...he began to remember.  
  
"Bastard, you've always gotta ruin everyone's life just so you can get a few more measly pieces of paper into your pocket," Tori kept on talking, unafraid of the shiny nozzle of the gun.  
  
Voltaire finally snapped. He pulled the trigger; the gun clicked lamely and once again there was silence.  
  
"Two bullets?" Kevin blinked. "Now that's stupid, there's not even enough to go around."  
  
But Voltaire wasn't willing o give up so easily. He dropped the gun and lunged at the nearest person to him. The nearest person happened to be Kai.  
  
Kai hit the ground and his eyes changed to their golden hue upon impact.  
  
Kai/Dryx struggled free and dashed for the gun. Voltaire dived upon one of Kai's ankles to prevent him from getting hold of the weapon and began to drag Kai/Dryx towards him.  
  
He growled like the wolf inside of him and used his free ankle to kick Voltaire in the face, instinctively Voltaire reeled back from the blow allowing Kai/Dryx enough time to get the gun.  
  
Voltaire got up from the floor, Kai/Dryx stood in front of him with a smirk on his face. The next minute Voltaire fell to the floor after being hit in the stomach with the butt of the gun.  
  
Kai/Dryx looked like he was going to turn on everyone else but two things happened to stop him.  
  
One was Ray, Tyson, Max and Li deciding to dog-pile on him and the other was Minako calling his name.  
  
Kai's eyes reverted back to crimson as he ordered the others to get off of him.  
  
"Let's get Tala's team and meet back at the hotel." Tori shouted orders to everyone.  
  
Tori gestured the others to follow as Tala led the way to his team.  
  
"Um...people Boris is dead!" Sam cried hysterically. "What if the police find out?"  
  
"Well then they'd have to find out about the experiments going on here and Voltaire wont risk that so he'll probably keep silent when he wakes up," Tori reassured her.  
  
"B...But he's just lost everything! Why not try and take us down too?"  
  
"He still has money in the bank," Tori pointed out as they ran.  
  
"Here," Tala grunted and turned a sharp corner.  
  
They were lead to a narrow corridor lined with barred cells. Tala ran up to one and barged into it.  
  
"Ian, Spencer, Brian!" Tala called as he continued ramming the door. "We're flying, don't ask why just come with me."  
  
There was silence and then a moment later Tala was on the ground, he scrambled out of the way just in time to prevent the large door falling on him.  
  
"Brian! If you could do take down that door then why didn't you do that at the beginning?" Ian asked.  
  
"I like to wait for the right time," Brian shrugged.  
  
"Let's go," Tala ordered his team.  
  
"Hey, wrong way!" Tyson called after them.  
  
"There's more than one way to get out of Biovolt," Tala glared at the teen despite all the help he had received. "What did you think I was gonna do? Go back to the hotel with you babies?"  
  
"Hey! We did help you, you could at least say thank you!" Mariah yelled.  
  
"Huh," Tala grunted and then turned to walk away with his team but, before he was swallowed by the darkness, he raised his arm above his head, his beyblade clasped firmly in his hand.  
  
The sign of allegiance.  
  
*********************  
  
Mizu_Tenshi: That thing that Tala does; it's what Kai did after the frozen lake. Just for the record, I did not intend for some of this stuff to happen but it kind of naturally flowed in. I need you to vote again, this time on who should win the tournament.  
  
a) Bladebreakers  
  
b) Terrabladers  
  
c) White Tigers  
  
Anime the Fallen Angel - My mom's gonna kill me when she sees this mess...well at least the sugar is safe. Thanks for reviewing!  
  
anomynous - Thank you, pairing to be confirmed next chapter!  
  
starwolf - You're the only person who has voted for Ray to be single. I thought more people would like the idea. Oh well, thanks for reviewing!"  
  
Lavender - ^_^ Yay, votes!  
  
Paiku - Good point, thanks for reviewing. I've counted up the votes for the next chapter.  
  
deon - You really think so...whew, I thought I might be making the romance too fluffy  
  
Miyuka15 - Thank you for voting and for reviewing  
  
Galux Kitty - Well I think you'll like the next chapter then. 


	18. The pairing is confirmed! Not what it se...

Mizu_Tenshi: The end of the love triangle is here. Sorry if it wasn't what you wanted but hey, you don't always get what you want.  
  
"..." Speech '...' Thought *...* Implied words  
  
Disclaimer: I own nothing except my OC's  
  
********************  
  
Chapter 17: Let it rip!  
  
It was the day after the raid and everyone had gotten a long and well- deserved rest and was now meeting in one of the hotel rooms.  
  
Sitting on the floor, chairs, beds of using the wall as a support the three teams filed the room with laughter, holding glasses of soda and pieces of food in their hands while talking loudly of their success.  
  
"What about the Origins?" Ami asked something they had almost forgotten about. "You didn't manage to destroy them all, right? There's still one in Kai and one in Tala."  
  
There was silence and the happy mood seemed to have disappeared.  
  
"There's nothing more we can do except hope that they can keep them under control," Tori said to the three teams but his eyes were on Kai.  
  
"But what if - " Am began but was cut off by a glare from Tori that said: 'We'll talk about this later.'  
  
"So, what are all of you gonna do now the tournament's over?" Sam switched the topic.  
  
"Go back to China," Kevin shrugged.  
  
"It's Japan for us!" Max piped in cheerfully.  
  
"Erm...we'll probably stay in England," Tori shrugged.  
  
"I really wanted to go to Japan as well," Minako pouted.  
  
"Well too bad, the BBA won't pay for us to go to another country unless there's a tournament on."  
  
"We have a match today, right?" Max asked  
  
"That's right, against us," Li stood up as he spoke.  
  
"And then the winner fights us for the championship!" Minako piped in.  
  
"It's best if we did some training," Li commented and left the room.  
  
The rest of the team followed his lead though Gary had to be pried away from the food table. The rest either went to train as well or took to wandering the corridors in hope for some entertainment.  
  
"Tori," Kai called.  
  
"Huh, what is it, Kai?" Tori stopped to ask.  
  
Kai took a sudden interest in his shoes but kept talking. "What happened after the talk on the bench."  
  
"What talk on the bench?" Tori asked, confused.  
  
"Ten years ago, on the bench with Sam," Kai explained further.  
  
"You remember that?" Tori raised his eyebrows.  
  
"It's coming back," Kai shrugged, hiding his uncertainty rather well.  
  
"Oh...that's good," Tori said more out of shock than out of lack of having anything better to say. "Do you remember me?"  
  
"I remember you hitting me and dragging me home."  
  
Tori smirked. "Well you were a little brat, you know?"  
  
"Whatever," Kai shrugged but there was also a smirk on his face too.  
  
Tori smiled and decided to leave the room but as he walked away he called back to his brother; "Oh, and Kai, don't think I'll be going easy on you just 'cause you're my brother, if I end up facing you in the finals my team will still whip yours."  
  
"You can try," Kai put his hand in his pocket and pulled out Dranzer but he also accidentally took out something else as well.  
  
~ Lounge ~  
  
~ Ray's POV ~  
  
I look up from my cup as the radio plays some dumb song in the distance. Above the noise I hear soft footsteps, Ami's footsteps to be exact. I think I know what this is going to be about.  
  
"I want to talk to you, Ray," Ami sits on one of the chairs next to me. Yep, here we go.  
  
"I know what you want to know," I say as I put my cup down. I'm amazed by the calmness in my voice.  
  
"Well?" Ami asks, her cheeks a faint shade of pink.  
  
"Uh..." I'm feeling incredibly self-conscious now. How do I feel about Ami? She's a really close friend but anything more then that...well I don't know.  
  
Why can't I just give her a straight answer? Do I love her or Mariah? Perhaps I'm not ready for love, I don't know, why is it so hard to tell?  
  
Ugh! My brain's hurting with all these feelings. I just don't know how I feel! What if I don't love any of them? I need time to think.  
  
"Ami, I..." I trial off. And she looks at me, right into my eyes. How do I think? Maybe I'm afraid but afraid of what? Is she serious? Does she really love me?  
  
~ Normal POV ~  
  
The pair didn't look at each other at all. They sat in awkward silence, each listening to their own thoughts.  
  
"I feel stupid," Ami broke the silence.  
  
"Me too," Ray admitted, "I guess I have no tact at all."  
  
Ami shook her head. "No, it's not you, it's me. I just get scared too easily. Kinda pathetic of me, huh?"  
  
"Maybe it's both of us."  
  
"Yeah, I suppose so."  
  
There was another session of silence and then they both turned to look at each other.  
  
"Well," Ami began, "you know how I feel but if you don't feel the same..well then I guess I'll go." She looked at him with an expression of soft sadness.  
  
"...M...maybe I do," Ray let the words tumble out. Why was it that he felt unsure of everything that was going on? Why did he keep thinking of how sad Mariah would be?  
  
"Huh?" Ami stopped pushing her chair backwards. "You do?" She seemed as nervous as Ray.  
  
"Yeah, I..I love you Mariah."  
  
"What!?"  
  
'Oh shit!' Ray's mind screamed at his humiliating blunder. Maybe he said that because he was thinking of Mariah and whether she would be okay.  
  
It meant nothing, right? He had the urge to do something, it was as if he could finally see the stars and these stars happened to spell out something he had known deep down all along.  
  
"What did you say?" Ami asked with a bewildered look on her face.  
  
"Uh...I gotta go!" Ray excused himself as politely as possible and ran off.  
  
~ Outside ~  
  
The White Tigers and the Bladebreakers were training with each other for the upcoming battle. Tyson stood by a plain dish while Mariah and Max stood on either side.  
  
"Are you ready?" Tyson called. "3...2...1..Let it rip!"  
  
Ray sped through the grounds and grabbed Mariah's wrist just as she pulled the rip-cord. Gallux flew off the cord and into the air, smacking down into the concrete and continued spinning there.  
  
"Ray! What - " Mariah looked shocked at her sudden interruption  
  
"Kiss me!" Ray said through heavy breaths  
  
"What?" Mariah blinked. Did he just say what she thought he heard her say?  
  
"Kiss me," Ray repeated.  
  
Mariah looked uncertainly at her team mates and then at the Bladebreakers.  
  
"In front of everyone?"  
  
Ray felt himself go a deep shade of crimson as he suddenly became aware of everyone else giving him funny looks. How embarrassing! What was he thinking? He wished the ground would just swallow him now.  
  
"I - "  
  
All following words were cut off by Mariah's lips.  
  
Wide ranges of cat-calls were suddenly triggered along with a large round of applause and pleasant smiles.  
  
When the two parted the were both beet red but grinning widely.  
  
"I guess this means - " Mariah began.  
  
"Yeah, I do," Ray nodded, "Sorry it took so long...will you guys stop staring!?"  
  
"I think it's time to go to the stadium," Li brought everyone back to earth.  
  
Everyone nodded and made their way to the stadium or went to remind the Terrabladers that the match was about to start  
  
"It took you long enough!" Mariah smiled once everyone else was busy.  
  
"Sorry," Ray blushed.  
  
"You can make it up to me later, right now, I think we should make our way to the stadium."  
  
~ Stadium ~  
  
"What a spectacular win!" A.J. yelled. "That was one of the best matches ever and they fought hard but it looks like the winner is the Bladebreakers!" (A.N. Sorry for skipping it but it gets boring to read and write so many fight scenes)  
  
"That certainly was a close one with Ray just managing to pull a victory over Li," Brad Best nodded. "The next battle will be for the championship! The Bladebreakers against the Terrabladers! Don't miss it for a thing!"  
  
"That's right," A.J. continued the commentary. "And to kick off tonight's match it's Max from the Bladebreakers verses Minako of the Terrabladers!"  
  
Cheers all around went up for the two teams as they took their places on either end of a dish decorated with miniature mountains.  
  
"3...2...1...Let it rip!"  
  
The two blades circled each other in the dish then came to clash in the middle.  
  
"Usagi! Earth rain!" Minako called up her rabbit bitbeast for an attack on the larger blade. Chunks of earth ripped itself from the ground and flung itself at the green blade.  
  
It wobbled every time it got hit but managed to stay stable.  
  
"What? No fair, you should be wobbling more than that!" Minako yelled.  
  
Max just smiled pleasantly, knowing that his defence would be hard to break through.  
  
"Okay, if that won't work then let's bury it. Usagi, bring the mountain down! Earth rain!"  
  
Usagi came out once more for her Earth rain attack. The rocks and boulders that made up the mountain tore loose and crashed down onto Maxi's blade.  
  
"Draciel!" Max yelled as a huge cloud of smoke wafted away.  
  
"And the winner is Minako!" A.J. announced.  
  
"I won! I won!" Minako jumped up and down.  
  
"Good match," Max smiled.  
  
Minako calmed down enough for the two to shake hands and return to their benches.  
  
"And next up on the line is Sam Wilkinson from the against Tyson Granger!" A.J. yelled into the microphone. "Remember, folks, this is a best out of three match, if Tyson can't win this then the Terrabladers take the cup!"  
  
"That's not gonna happen," Tyson said confidently as the next dish rose up.  
  
It was a clock's face with three ticking hands moving clockwise at different speeds and below the face itself was curved and spinning incredibly fast so the numerals became a blur.  
  
"Looks like our two contestants will be fighting on the face of Big Ben, a very hard task 'cause if you fall off those hands and onto the face you can kiss your victory goodbye. Are you ready? 3..2...1..Let it rip!"  
  
The two blades landed on a separate needle and made their way like tight- rope walkers across the hands and to the middle where they clashed, sending furious sparks flying.  
  
"Dragoon! Whirlwind!" As Tyson yelled a blue dragon emerged and created a whirlwind. People in the audience clung tightly to their coats as the wind swept the entire stadium.  
  
"Hang on, Binah!" Sam desperately cried but it was hopeless; her blade was loosing its grip on the hand of the clock.  
  
Finally it was torn away by the wind and it plunged downwards. As quick as it had fallen it was spat out again by the spinning clock face.  
  
"And the winner is Tyson!"  
  
"Yes!" Tyson punched the air then turned to wave at his cheering team. "Told you I'd win! No problem!"  
  
"Well, Tyson, congratulations, you beat me..thanks to sheer dumb luck!" She added with a snide little smile.  
  
"Dumb luck? I literally blew you away!"  
  
Before the two could start arguing Tori and Kai had to take their place at the end of the blading dish.  
  
"Okay folks," A.J. was now screaming with excitement. "This is it, the clash of the two leaders! Whoever wins will take home the cup! 3...2...1...Let it rip!"  
  
"You've never seen my bitbeast in action, have you?" Tori called. "Want a demonstration? Kether, come out and play!"  
  
A large stag emerged from Tori's blade. It reared into the air, kicking its hooves and tossing its antlers at the opposing blade.  
  
"Okay Kether, terra tremor!" Tori ordered his blade to close in as it spun in a simple, basic training dish  
  
"Dranzer!" Kai's blade went in for the attack.  
  
Both attacks hit and the middle of the dish exploded, raising a cloud of dust and smoke into the air. As it cleared the two blades were still spinning strong.  
  
"Sorry, Kai, looks like we'll be taking home the trophy," Tori smirked. "Kether, call the herd!"  
  
Kai kept his eyes fixed on Tori's blade, as it seemed to split into five more blades and circled around Kai's lonely blue blade.  
  
"Optical illusions?" Kai raised an eyebrow. "That move only works against amateurs."  
  
"It's not an illusion."  
  
The six blades hit Dranzer one at a time still circling the blade. Illusions weren't meant to be solid.  
  
"Call the herd lets me spread Kether's power to five more holograms, so in one way; they are just images." The blades hit again and Dranzer began to wobble dangerously, "but in another respect they can cause damage so they're like having another five *real* blades."  
  
The six blades continued the onslaught. If he didn't act fast he wouldn't last and the championships would go to the Terrabladers.  
  
Dranzer went for the real blade but every time he tried the other blades would close in to form a shield around it.  
  
'I gotta get that blade!' Kai thought desperately. His blade circled around the rim of the dish and then launched itself into the air.  
  
"When we were kids I always dreamt of starting our own team; I never imagined we would be fighting against each other," Tori commented absently.  
  
"Well get used to fighting," Kai yelled. The blue blade came crashing down right on top of Tori's red and black blade. "And get used to loosing."  
  
There was silence, even amongst the screaming fans and the whoops of joy the area around the dish was almost silent with the exception of Tori's red and black blade rolling to a stop.  
  
"I don't believe it!" A.J. screamed. "Let's give a round of applause to our winners; the Bladebreakers! The new English champions!"  
  
*****************  
  
Mizu_Tenshi: Ugh! I'm terrible at doing kissing scenes! Well the next chapter will be the last just to tie up all loose ends. Don't miss it!  
  
Anime Dreamer - It looked as if it was going to be Ami/Ray, didn't it? Well I couldn't possibly put him with anyone but Mariah after I got so many reviews asking for that pairing.  
  
clariko - Really? They get married? Oh, cute!  
  
Paiku - Sorry, I know you voted Ami/Ray but I have to be fair and go with the votes.  
  
starwolf - Sorry, but I guess being Ray he doesn't get much of a break, huh? Well hope you enjoyed it and don't miss the last chapter!  
  
Lavender - Thanks for reviewing; the last chapter is coming up!  
  
kimpster wit da pimpster - Yes, Minako and Kai will get to together eventually but I'm trying to do it in a non-OOC way. It will still be cute though!  
  
Dawn - Thanks for your review, don't miss the last chapter!  
  
Galux Kitty - Hope I didn't worry you. Well I reckon Ami would be better with Kenny; they're so alike.  
  
By the Stars - *Nods* they will be a couple but I'm saving that for the end. Thanks for reviewing!  
  
Anime the Fallen Angel - Sorry for the long wait, I hope Anya cools down or pikachu turns up. 


	19. The End

Mizu_Tenshi: *Walks onto stage with a microphone* Well it's the end of this fic! It's been great writing, right Sam?  
  
Sam: That's right, Mizu, and to celebrate we're...doing nothing  
  
Minako: Yes, but Mizu_Tenshi would like to say thank you to everyone that read and reviewed her story.  
  
Ami: And now, folks, this is what you've been waiting for, we're screening the very last episode of 'You don't always get what you want!'  
  
Tori: *sighs* Oh boy  
  
"." Speech '.' Thought *.* Implied words  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own Beyblade  
  
Song: Simple and Clean by Utada Hikaru  
  
*******************  
  
Chapter 18: The end  
  
Once again they were back to celebrating in Tori and Sam's hotel room but this time for a whole different victory.  
  
"Tomorrow we'll all be going our separate ways, right?" Kenny said.  
  
There was a murmur of sad agreement.  
  
"Who cares about tomorrow?" Tyson tried to lighten up the room. "Let's all get together and party!"  
  
~ The dance floor ~  
  
There were other bladers already there when the group arrived. On stage at the front of the large hall a band was set up with a woman in front holding a microphone and singing.  
  
The groups spread out. Tyson and Gary made and instant beeline to the snack table and began to help themselves with the food.  
  
"Hey - " Minako waved as she approached Kai.  
  
"Don't even think about it!" Kai, who was leaning against a wall a little way away from everyone else, shot her a warning.  
  
"What?" she tried to look innocent. "It is our last day together, show some team spirit!"  
  
"Hn"  
  
Minako threw her hands into the air in exasperation and leaned on the wall next to Kai. "Huh, you're so boring!"  
  
"Go dance with someone else then," Kai retaliated.  
  
"Make me."  
  
Kai rolled his eyes and let out an audible sigh. "I've been thinking," He suddenly spoke, "about my Origin."  
  
Minako looked at him. "Dryx? You don't have to worry about loosing control, I'm sure you'll learn how to handle it."  
  
"Maybe," Kai said doubtfully.  
  
"Definitely," Minako nodded, "it's not like you to run. You have to go with the ship, you can't surrender!"  
  
"Woo-hoo," Kai said, his voice dripping in sarcasm.  
  
"Sometimes you have to take risks; you have to go with your heart."  
  
"I don't believe in this heart stuff," Kai shrugged  
  
"Huh, too bad, your heart is the only thing that you can count on a hundred percent," Minako smiled "But it doesn't matter if you don't trust your heart, you can always count on mine to help you out."  
  
Kai shot her a confused look.  
  
"You forgot about it already? You may be very cute but you're not very smart, are you?" She was grinning now. "I gave my heart to you, remember?"  
  
"This?" Kai held the pendant that Minako had given him before the match in his palm; the little heart shaped ruby gleaming in the light of the morning.  
  
"Keep it," she curled his hand around the necklace. "If you can't trust your own heart then at least you can trust mine."  
  
There was silence between the two. Minako half expected Kai to say "oh," or something stupid like that but instead Kai placed the necklace back into his pocket and remained silent.  
  
"It's getting late," Minako commented absently and then an idea struck her.  
  
"Come with me, I got something to show you" she grabbed his wrist and led him out of the dance hall. No one saw them leave.  
  
~~~  
  
The White Tigers were with Ray by the food table so Gary could still eat and talk to them at the same time.  
  
"I can't believe it's the end of the tournament," Mariah commented.  
  
"Yeah, a lot of things have been happening during the past few weeks," Ray admitted.  
  
"Yeah, raiding Biovolt, competing in the tournament." Kevin began ticking off fingers.  
  
"Tori and Sam getting together and now Ray and Mariah!" Li smiled.  
  
"Hey, Ray," Mariah flashed her pearly white fangs. "Remember when I said you could make it up to me later?"  
  
"Yeah?" Ray said slowly.  
  
"Well how about a dance?"  
  
"Dance?"  
  
"You really got me worried, you know? I thought - "  
  
"Okay, okay! You win!" Ray took Mariah's hand and led her to the dance floor, ignoring Kevin's interesting sound effects.  
  
They wove their way though the other couple to a small spot, perfect for the both off them.  
  
"Ray, I'll be going to China tomorrow," Mariah leaned her head on his shoulder and whispered into Ray's ear.  
  
"I know but we'll see each other at the end," Ray comforted us.  
  
"I know but I just want more time to be with you...alone."  
  
'I feel so stupid saying this!' Mariah blushed a deep shade of crimson. 'I wonder what Ray must think of me going all soft!'  
  
"We'll have plenty of time," Ray reassured her. "There's no need to rush."  
  
"..Ray? I..um..thank you."  
  
"For what?" Ray cast the pink-haired girl a confused look.  
  
"For being Ray."  
  
~~~  
  
"They make a cute couple, don't they?" Kenny commented briefly before taking another sip of his soda.  
  
"Yeah.I guess they do," Ami muttered despondently and took a large swig of her own drink. She refrained from letting her tears fall. Now was not the time of the place to draw attention.  
  
This wasn't right, didn't Ray say that he loved her?  
  
'No he said he *might* love you' Ami's mind reminded her. 'He really loves Mariah, though so just pretend he conversation in the lounge wasn't real.'  
  
"You okay?" Kenny caught on to her wistful glances. "Max is free if you want to dance."  
  
Ami shook her head and watched as Ray and Mariah went back to the snack table.  
  
Her gaze moved back to Ray just as he turned to look at her. She quickly looked at something else but Ray had already caught her and was making his way to her.  
  
"Shouldn't you be with Mariah?" Ami asked Ray, trying to keep her voice even.  
  
"I'm sorry," Ray apologised meekly.  
  
Ami gulped and forced the words out. "It's okay, really, and I'm.I'm.happy that you found someone to love and someone who loves you back," she tried desperately to smile, to show him that she was okay but he didn't seem convinced.  
  
"You don't feel too bad, do you?" Ray asked with concern. "We're still friends."  
  
"I know and I'm grateful for it," Ami nodded.  
  
"Hi Ami!" Mariah came to join them. She wrapped her arm around Ray's waist and they shared a small kiss.  
  
Ami thought she would die right there and then but she somehow managed to keep breathing.  
  
'They're so *nice* it would be easier for me if they just yelled or something!'  
  
"So, I'm guessing you'll be at the next tourney, right?" Mariah smiled. "It's been fun and I can't wait to see you girls again, it's tough being the only girl in a team full of guys."  
  
"Maybe, I wouldn't know," Ami said distantly.  
  
"See you later," Ray smiled kindly.  
  
"Bye Ami!" Mariah waved  
  
"Yeah, I'll see you around."  
  
And then they were gone. She sighed but she didn't allow tears to ruin the happy or supposedly happy moment.  
  
She took another swig of her drink until she remembered that Kenny was still next to her. Had he guessed what they were talking about? How embarrassing!  
  
Ami tried to explain herself but no ideas came into her head. Maybe she just wasn't as smart as she had thought she was.  
  
"Problems?" Kenny asked kindly.  
  
Ami smiled weakly. "Yeah, I guess you could say that."  
  
~ Balcony ~  
  
Minako led Kai out to the balcony of her room "Right here," she pointed to the sky.  
  
"I've seen the sun set before," Kai reminded her.  
  
"Huh, you're not very romantic, did you know that?" Minako frowned.  
  
"Whatever," Kai shrugged and rolled his eyes.  
  
Minako frowned and pursed her lips. She watched him with concerned eyes and then she stood up, making her way almost to the balcony railings she took a deep breath and yelled.  
  
"I AM MINAKO!"  
  
"What are you doing!?" Kai jumped.  
  
Minako turned to face him, her face was red and grinning. "It's fun!"  
  
"You're crazy!" Kai hissed as he clamped his hand around her mouth.  
  
"C'mon, Kai!" Minako said as she struggled to speak. "You wouldn't believe how exhilarating it feels just to yell out to the world, 'I am what I am!' it feels strangely symbolic."  
  
"No, it's just strange," Kai hissed as he struggled with Minako  
  
"Ah, they called those who danced insane because they themselves could not hear the music!" Minako said mistily.  
  
Kai gave up. He smiled at her antics but refused to join in. Minako was probably the strangest person he had met.  
  
"I AM MINAKO HOSHINO AND DAMN PROUD OF IT!" Minako continued to yell oblivious to the amused stares Kai was giving her.  
  
Finally she stopped, grinning even harder than ever and rather breathless.  
  
"Interesting," Kai shook his head. "Strange, but interesting."  
  
"Welcome to a day in the life of Minako Hoshino! That'll be twenty pounds for a detailed tour," she declared proudly.  
  
"I think I'll just buy the T-shirt," Kai remarked.  
  
"...Cheapskate," Minako muttered.  
  
"Hn."  
  
"Don't 'hn' me, stingy."  
  
"Whatever," Kai turned to go back to the party.  
  
"Hey!" Minako called him back.  
  
"What is it? I can't spend my whole evening listening to your sudden bursts of insanity!" Kai said, sounding rather annoyed.  
  
"Hey...t...that hurt!" Minako cried. They stood in silence, staring blankly at each other, perhaps waiting for the other to do or say something.  
  
As usual it was Minako to break the silence.  
  
"I'm sorry, maybe I am a little crazy," Minako whispered just loud enough for Kai to hear. "I won't yell out again if you don't want me to."  
  
"No, do what you want, like I care how crazy you act," Kai shook his head.  
  
"I don't scare you, do I?"  
  
"No way!" Kai replied hotly. "I'm not scared of anything!"  
  
Minako grinned, crossed her arms and brought her face close to Kai's. "Really? Well, we'll just see about that, Kai Hiwatari!"  
  
Kai wasn't sure what she meant but it all became clear a second later when Minako did something that made his eyes widen in shock and then drift to a close. He felt her lips against his as they stood there delicately wrapped in the sunset.  
  
~ Later ~  
  
Kai lay on the soft covers of his bed; his hand was raised above his eyes dangling the necklace from his gloved fingers, faintly observing the way the light reflected off its surface.  
  
"I have power, I know that, but it's dangerous and I should never have accepted it. What am I going to do? I can't just ignore it," Kai muttered.  
  
'.Sometimes you just have to go with your heart.'  
  
"I wonder how Tala is going to deal with an Origin as well," Kai's mind went back to the day they raided Biovolt. "What if I loose it again? I could do some serious damage."  
  
That when it struck him. If he could do serious damage then it was better if there was no one around to do the damage to.  
  
In short, he had to go.  
  
Then again, he couldn't just leave his team and he had just started recovering memories of his brother.  
  
Why did he have to be torn between to feelings? In fact, why was he even having emotions? He wasn't supposed to feel. Was it because Biovolt had gone or was it something or someone else?  
  
He didn't bother with his things; he wouldn't need most of it anyway. If he was to go it was best to do it now when everyone was busy. Rolling off his bed he stole into the corridor and right into the last person he wanted to bump into.  
  
"Hey, Kai, I thought you were supposed to be alert all the time," Tori frowned and, from the look on Sam's face, Kai could tell he had opened the door at the wrong moment.  
  
"Whatever," Kai shrugged it off. The last thing he needed was for someone to get in the way of his departure.  
  
"What are you doing anyway?" Sam asked curiously.  
  
"Nothing," Kai lied.  
  
"Nothing?" Tori frowned.  
  
"Oh, well have a good time anyway," Sam smiled nervously, "Tori and me...have to go somewhere."  
  
Kai looked at them in confusion as Sam went red and began to push Tori down the corridor.  
  
"Hey, Kai," Tori called back. "Normal people use the balcony!"  
  
"The balcony?" Kai raised an eyebrow.  
  
Tori was already half way down the corridor with Sam by the time Kai managed to ask so he received no answer.  
  
'Does he know?' Kai wondered. 'Well at least I he seemed okay with it.'  
  
This time Kai decided to take Tori's advice and use the balcony. Once again he tried to escape and once again he was interrupted.  
  
"Hey, Kai, I -" Minako just walked in as he prepared to vault over the other side. "What are you doing?"  
  
"Minako - " Kai, who had not yet made the jump, turned in surprise.  
  
Minako took one look at him and instantly saw the intention in his eyes. "No way! You're not going to do what I think you're going to do, are you?"  
  
'Damn! Why are people so good at reading intentions? Why do I keep getting interrupted? Why me?'  
  
However, Kai said nothing. It seemed silence was the most appropriate answer.  
  
"This is crazy Kai! Don't you listen to what I say? I know you don't want to leave your team, you can't let fear drive you away, you have to go with your heart!"  
  
"That's your saying, Minako, I can't live the way you do," Kai replied. He felt strange, he felt like an anime character saying a cruel goodbye to a tearful princess.  
  
"I'll tell Tori!" She threatened.  
  
"He already knows."  
  
"What!?" Minako bubbled with something close to anger. "And he agreed with it? Where will you go?"  
  
"Somewhere far away from everyone else," Kai shrugged. "Once I'm sure I've mastered Dryx I'll come back."  
  
"Then you'll have to take me too!" Minako crossed her arms defiantly.  
  
"Don't be crazy, like I'd take you of all people!" Kai snapped.  
  
"Kai!" Minako cried, clearly distressed. "What about on the balcony at sunset?"  
  
"What happened then...it wasn't meant to happen," Kai said softly.  
  
"So..do you mean to say that...you regret it?"  
  
"No! It's not that I just..err..what's wrong with your eyes?"  
  
Minako shook her head, wiping tears from ice blue eyes. "Nothing, you wouldn't understand anyway."  
  
"Minako..."  
  
"Just go!" She yelled but she refused to look him in the face. "You're going anyway so don't stall! Get out of here!"  
  
"Minako..I'm.."  
  
"You're what? You're sorry? If you were really sorry you wouldn't be doing this at all!"  
  
'Why is she so upset? I'm not dying and I'll be back. Now that the tournament is over we would have gone our separate ways anyway,' Kai couldn't remember being this confused.  
  
'...Well who wants to waste their time beating others? Life doesn't last forever so we should spend our time having fun and doing what we love..'  
  
Minako's words before the raid on Biovolt came floating back. What did Kai love doing? Beyblading of course but without his team victory was shallow. He loved beyblading with his team no matter how much he denied it, it was the truth.  
  
'Each day is a grain of sand slipping through your fingers, once it's gone it won't come back so why waste any of it doing anything except what you want to do?' Kai smiled to himself. It was all so clear now.  
  
Minako instantly tensed as she felt a gloved hand on her shoulder.  
  
"You do know that we will be parting soon. I'll be going back to Japan."  
  
"I know but at least I can call you," Minako smiled faintly.  
  
"You have to be the dumbest, strangest, most annoying, most persistent, crazy, little - "  
  
"I know, I know!" Minako held up a hand. "So you're staying with your team?"  
  
"It took you that long to figure it out?"  
  
Minako beamed. Maybe it was her imagination, maybe it was because she was so relieved but she would swear Kai smiled at her. Not one of those amused smiled he so often gave but one out of pure kindness and maybe something more.  
  
~ The next day ~  
  
The teams hauled their luggage across Heathrow air station, looking for the right terminal. The plane tickets had been bought and now they were waiting for their flight to be called.  
  
It was quite packed in the airport not to mention incredibly loud with people talking amiably and the speakers on the walls blasting out the words to 'Simple and Clean' above the din.  
  
"I can't believe we've got to stay in England!" Sam sulked.  
  
"You're not going to stay in the hotel, are you?" Mariah asked.  
  
Sam shook her head, "Staying with Minako's ma, we still have to find a new team mate since Ami can't blade anymore."  
  
"Next flight to China, terminal two is ready," a young woman's voice echoed through the loud speakers.  
  
"That's us!" Kevin leapt from his seat.  
  
The team said their last goodbyes and then they were off.  
  
The two remaining teams sat still as the speakers returned to the song, finally, the airhostess spoke again.  
  
"Next flight to Japan, terminal three is ready."  
  
"C'mon, that's our flight!" Kenny urged the team onto their feet.  
  
"Hey, can you guys go on? I wanna talk to Kai," Minako asked as her own team got ready to go back.  
  
Kai nodded to his team, indicating that he would catch up.  
  
"So.this is goodbye, huh?"  
  
"Yeah, bye." "Um...I feel stupid."  
  
"This is why I hate long goodbyes, can we jut make this quick?"  
  
"Okay," Minako nodded.  
  
"Err...take care..I guess..and tell my brother to practice, I want a real challenge next time!"  
  
"A real challenge? I nearly had you on the floor you cocky little - " Tori yelled before being hit by both Sam and Ami.  
  
Minako laughed nervously in the direction of her team and then back at Kai. She took a few tentative steps forward to plant a kiss on his cheek. "Goodbye."  
  
Kai stood there for a few seconds then turned and began to walk in the opposite direction  
  
//And when you walk away//  
  
Minako watched him leave with a faint smile on her face and then, slowly, she rejoined the rest of her team.  
  
//You don't hear me say//  
  
She nodded at their concerned looks, reassuring them that she was fine. They seemed to reach the conclusion that she was in no mood to talk and they left the airport together.  
  
//Please, oh baby//  
  
She hadn't told him everything she had planned to but she suspected that Kai knew. Some things were better left unspoken anyway.  
  
//Don't go//  
  
At the last minute she looked back just to catch a glimpse of Kai's white scarf fly in the wind before he disappeared.  
  
//Simple and clean is the way that you're making me feel tonight//  
  
Minako let a smile dance across his lips. Bringing out a blue beyblade her finger traced the sharp edges with revere.  
  
//It's hard to let it go//  
  
She drew it close to her face to take in every small detail, every fine chip in the metal and then, almost tentatively, she kissed the phoenix.  
  
**********************  
  
Mizu_Tenshi: Well that ends that. Not everything was explained but I think it's much more fun to let you, the readers, think about it. Why does Minako have Dranzer? Well I'll let you think about that. Hint: remember the event on the balcony?  
  
Minako: Yeah, we'll let your imaginations make up something suitable like what happened on the balcony  
  
Sam: Oh, BTW, Kai and Minako do love each other but Kai's not the one to express it but it was hinted!  
  
Ami: Hope you enjoyed that. There may be a sequel there may not be one. Tori: *Sighs* Oh Lord, no.  
  
Everyone: Happy holidays!  
  
~ The water angel 


End file.
